IS EUROPE REALLY THAT UNITED?

The Cold War placed Europe in a vacuum between East and West, which ended in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the implosion of the Soviet Union. Two decades from ‘die Wende’ and the reunion of East and West, also exemplified by the big-bang EU enlargement of 2004, when 10 Central and Eastern European countries joined the previously by western-European countries dominated EU, misunderstanding and discrimination between East and West Europeans are still the order of the day. Therefore the question remains whether the EU really understands its own past. We asked two international students in Leuven, who used to live under communist rule.

(MIS)UNDERSTANDING COMMUNIST LIFE

The new Eastern and Central European countries at least have one thing in which they can find each other: their communist past. But do western Europeans also understand what life under communism was and could they understand it even? Ana Biskup (31), a Croatian student in Leuven says that it seems not. “I think westerns have some idea of how it was, but their perception is influenced by what they learned at school and by the media and as we all know, media can really give just a part of the story, so in the end I’m not sure they realize what it was really like.” Steffi Rosenbusch (29), another student in Leuven, who grew up in East Germany, adds that “to understand the whole socialisation and daily life, the constraints, but also the good sides is quite impossible for Western Europeans. For me, it’s more important to have this understanding with other East Germans or East Europeans that counts: what the others think is secondary.”

FREEDOM

The Wall might have been fallen some twenty years ago already, Communism has not yet entirely disappeared from the girls’ lives. They definitely do not want to go back to the system, but as their childhood took place under full communist rule, they sometimes are a bit nostalgic about those times, as Ana says: “I miss the feeling of the time that has passed. I also think people were different. We all lived in a more ‘safe’ country. But that is only my perception because at the same time some people suffered under the communist regime.” Steffi says that with some occasions, such as the current anniversary, many things come up, but that otherwise communism no longer plays a role in her life, “except that I have a foible for Eastern Europe”, she laughs. “We have to value the liberty and freedoms we have now and work to improve the current system”, she adds seriously. The most significant change after the fall of the Wall for both girls has to do with freedom: “the ability to travel – which was for East Germans until 1989 only possible within the limits of the communist world – and the choices available with regard to what I want to study where, and where I want to settle and work, which all was not possible before” is what Steffi appreciates most of living in the ‘free’ world.

EXOTIC CREATURES

The reunification with Western-Germany however was not that glorious and smoothly as it is always presented. Steffi: “We were easily identified due to the way we dressed, the cars we drove… but not accepted. It felt a bit like we were exotic creatures to make fun of. It wasn’t funny at all, as you can imagine.” Nowadays, 20 years later, still not a lot has changed, Steffi says: “There is still a lot of ignorance: many Westerners do not know a lot and never travel to former East Germany at all, but they do complain about the cost of reunification.” Yet, it should always be realized that only together the small European countries can play a significant role in world politics and economy and that the Union brings in the end always more benefits than disadvantages to its members. For this reason the unity should be kept and defended, as all should be given an equal chance. And really, that pays off since “Angela Merkel and other East German politicians made it to the top!” |