Eastern Europe [antikvár]

Introduction When the first edition of this book appeared Eastern Europe. According to Mr Pordány, in April 1989, Eastern Europe seemed 'Eastern Europe' is a misnomer which solidly anchored behind the Iron Curtain. carries the stigma of over four decades of Seven months later the old regimes collapsed Soviet domination. He points out that prior and in October 1990 East Germany ceased to WW II the four northemmost countries to exist. We scrambled to adapt the travelling (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and information to the new realities and in Hungary) plus Austria, Germany and December 1991 brought out a second perhaps Switzerland, were part of a region edition. The following year Yugoslavia and traditionally known as Mitteleuropa, which Czechoslovakia split into seven states and translates into English rather poorly as once again much of the book has had to be 'central Europe'. Our problem lies in the fact rewritten. As this third edition goes into print that about half the book is devoted to the most of the region seems stable enough, Balkan region which has never been consid- although a dreadful war is still raging in ered part of Mitteleuropa. Bosnia-Hercegovina and unpredictable Bad connotations aside, from the extremists are gaining ground in Russia. traveller's point of view the countries of We have received a letter from Mr László 'Eastern Europe' still have a lot in common Pordány, the Ambassador of Hungary in and basic things like restaurants, accommo- Australia, urging us to stop calling the region dation facilities, entertainment and public