Cold War, Warm Hearts - Hitchhiking behind the 1960s Iron Curtain (322)

Dec 9, 2023

A young woman hitchhikes across Poland and other Eastern Bloc countries in the 1960s, encountering friendly locals, border guards, and unexpected love. She shares her experiences hitchhiking in Poland, Hungary, and Yugoslavia, staying in youth hostels and meeting friendly locals who take her to different places. She explores Romania during Ceaușescu's regime, encounters ethnic Germans in Transylvania, and witnesses a socialist festival in Bulgaria. She also reflects on revisiting Cold War era places and documenting her experiences through photography.

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Introduction

00:00 • 3min

Exploring Poland during the Cold War

02:53 • 23min

Journey to Belgrade

26:00 • 11min

Exploring Romania: Transylvania and Ceaușescu

36:36 • 6min

Meeting Ethnic Germans in Romania and Their Desire to Emigrate

42:31 • 2min

Traveling to Bulgaria and Experiencing a Socialist Festival

44:24 • 3min

Travels in Yugoslavia and the Unexpected Army Call

47:47 • 3min

Revisiting Cold War Era Places

51:11 • 5min

In 1966 most of Bridget’s friends, in their early twenties, were settling down with jobs and/or husbands…

She, on the other hand, set off alone to travel across Poland relying on the kindness of strangers. Fascinated by what she experienced she continued to wander the highways and byways of, Hungary Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia for the next couple of years seeking out remote rural communities almost untouched by the passage of time...

Bridget travelled with virtually no money, however, this was not a problem but an opportunity: it enabled a rare and deep insight into the lives and experiences of ‘ordinary’ people in these Warsaw Pact countries.

We hear how she stumbles across remote German minorities, gets arrested by border guards and finds love in a youth hostel in Munich.

Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/a/1549/9781915603326

Extra Photos and videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode352/

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0:00 Introduction to the episode

3:06 Bridget's journey and adventures in Poland

12:18 Bridget's job in Germany and exploration of the iron curtain

15:56 Bridget's smuggling adventure in Slovakia and visit to Hungary

26:02 Bridget's journey to Yugoslavia and her experiences there

32:04 Socio-economic situation and life experiences in Slovakia

34:36 Encounter with West German border guards

37:16 Meeting Bill in Munich and travelling to Romania

43:30 Journey to Bulgaria and experiences there

48:34 Using travel diaries to write "Cold War, Warm Hearts"

53:01 Acknowledging financial supporters and engaging with listeners on Facebook

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