In his day, he was known as “Red Elvis,” the most popular American entertainer from East Berlin to Vladivostok. Now, 30 years after he took the communist world by storm, mention of Dean Reed in central Europe evokes little more than snickers or shrugs.
Germany
Transylvanian Town Sees Gold in Dracula Land
For centuries, Sighisoara has slumbered in the heart of Transylvania. Now the Romanian government has decided to capitalize on the region’s most infamous son.
East German Kitsch Now a Collector’s Item
It is hard to explain the appeal of the mysterious white cylinder, about four feet tall, sealed with a blue vinyl covering. The unwieldy home appliance, which East German engineers designed as a “portable sauna,” is one of the main attractions at a Berlin exhibit.
Czech Students’ Lessons on Nazi-Era Ethnic Hatred
As Jaroslav Klenovsky approached his shattered hometown, he encountered a sight that remains seared in his memory. Armed young men were escorting thousands of women, children, and elderly people out of the city. The German population of Brno was being expelled.
Trial of German Skinheads Who Kicked Immigrant to Death Leaves Widow in Fear
A shadow lies over the town made famous by the Bauhaus arts movement. Dessau was spared any serious incidents of right wing terror – until the night Alberto Adriano walked across the park where he often played with his children.
Russian Deserters Languish in West
Rif Akhmetganeyev, a former Soviet Army lieutenant colonel, says he is no longer afraid. When he deserted from his unit and applied for German political asylum, he thought he had reached safe ground. But the reasons for his fear have hardly disappeared.
Germany’s Soccer Team Scores a Multiracial First
Gerald Asamoah kicked his way into sports history last month, when he became the first black player to wear the jersey of Germany’s national soccer team.
Germany Sheds Its Pacifist Role
“For the first time since the end of World War II, German soldiers are on a combat mission,” Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said. “We cannot exclude dangers to life and limb for our soldiers.”
German Village Refuses to Let Its Future Turn to Coal Dust
Bernd Siegert is leading a last-ditch fight to save his 650-year-old village from destruction by a mining company.
German Currency Leaves its Mark Across the Balkans
Thanks to Germany’s central geographic location, its economic might, and the presence of millions of foreign workers sending money home, the deutsche mark – not the dollar – is king in many parts of Europe.
