Europe, 1966

My father is currently engaged in a massive yet rewarding project of scanning all of our family’s old slides into digital format. When I saw a selection of photo from my mother’s 1966 trip to Europe, I had to learn more. Here is our little interview, a peek into the past:

Mom, when did you take this trip and what promoted it?
After graduating from the university in 1966, I traveled with some school friends through Europe. Having spent virtually all my life on a farm near a small rural community in California, seeing Europe was a thrilling experience.

What countries did you visit?
We traveled for almost three months, starting in England and also visiting the Netherlands, France and Germany on our own. The most exciting portion of the trip was joining a student tour behind the “Iron Curtain.” This trip included seeing three cities in the Soviet Union, (Kiev, Moscow and Leningrad), Prague, Warsaw, and East and West Berlin. This was the most exciting part of the trip because we saw communities that were relatively unfamiliar.


Tell us about your impressions of Berlin.

Berlin was a divided city. While all the cities we visited on our tour were under Soviet domination, there was a profound sense of oppression in East Berlin. No one smiled. There were no dogs or cats. Buildings showed signs of gun shots and broken windows. Remember this was 20 years after the end of WWII, but it looked like little of the rubble was cleaned away. We took the train from East to West Berlin. Guards in the train station carefully scrutinized our passport when we prepared to go to the West. Guards with machine gun were in the rafters of the train station ready to stop anyone from bursting through the lines and boarding the train. Once the train was loaded, other guards with dogs checked the underside of the cars to be sure no one was hiding. We pulled out of the station, crossed no-man’s land, and entered another world. West Berlin was the image of prosperity. Historic buildings had been repaired, new buildings had been constructed. People walked in the park. Each of us on the tour commented that we felt as though a weight had been lifted from our shoulders. Years latter when The Wall fell, I cried in joy for the people who finally have their freedom. I still feel that way today.

In our family visit to Berlin in 2008 I was gratified to see the united city. No-mans-land is no more. The beautiful train station is filled with music and happy shoppers. The park can be enjoyed by all.

 

no man's land... area of the Wall between East and West Berlin

Dachau concentration camp

Edinbourgh, Scotland (love the cars!)

Kiev, Russia vending machine for water (using just 1 common cup!)

Moscow State University

Thanks Mom!