Sopron and The Iron Curtain

"Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."- Miriam Beard

Sopron's history is far more significant than we knew when we included this medieval city on this sojourn.  As a matter of fact, you may or may not know, that Austria and Hungary have played incredible roles in history that I am only beginning to discover.  This is only one of the events that changed history forever.

FYI:  'The Iron Curtain' ideologically and symbolically divided Europe.  Many of the countries that were 'behind' the Iron curtain used to be part of the Soviet Union.  The countries that were on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain include:  East Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, HUNGARY, Bosnia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia.

This term 'Iron Curtain' was used by Winston Churchill to describe the border between communist eastern Europe and democratic western Europe.

Near Sopron, an event was in the works called the PanEuropean picnic. Expectations circulated that Hungary's more moderate borders might open to the West.  This meant freedom for eastern communist citizens.

Even though Russian troops were still stationed in Hungary, on August 19, 1989, 600+  East Germans slipped, without incident, through a old wooden gate near Sopron heading towards Austria during this 'picnic.'

It began a mass exodus of East Germans.  Three weeks later, over 10,000 fled.  

Below are actually pictures of that day.

The guards have been quoted as saying they would not be a part of a mass execution of civilians.  Turning their backs, they decided not to 'see' the people coming through the gates.

"Never give in-never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.  Never yield to force;  never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."- Winston Churchill

What followed from that incident is now history......which we watched unfold 24 years ago.

The infamous Berlin Wall coming down.

Deb and I are aware that our presence here, only 24 short years since "The Iron Curtain" era, is a privilege and a miracle.  

Below is the spot of the breakthrough-near the road leading to Szentmaribanya, commemorating the end of communism. 

*Photos taken from the Internet*