European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 30, 1964, Darmstadt, Hesse Stripes daily Magazine a sp4fs impressions of Iron curtain land americans who travel behind the Iron curtain Don t expect things to lie like Hack Home and their expectations Are usually quickly proven. Some time the differences come As a Jolt but there arc also the pleasant surprises and memories thai Fame with a visit to the communist Bine. A month of Louring the soviet Union and its red neighbor had a typical tourist sighing with Relief when he finally crossed the Border Bock into inc free Wisl. When we crossed into Austria a cheer went up from our relates sp4 Charles e. Vanscoy. J7. Of the Mth Engron at Wil Flecken Germany. Soon traffic was heavy the roads became Auto banns Vienna All around us people noises commercialism coca cola Heaters and Freedom. Freedom is a mood. It s like the air necessary for life. Photo by sp4 Charles e. Vanscoy i was so glad that i was not a Vanscoy freely admits that his Moutin communist lands hardly qualifies him As an expert on conditions there. But his impressions arc those of Many others who Huvry made the trip. On his return to h i unit with 20 Rolls of exposed film and a million mental notes Vansco shared his experience with his fellow troopers Nihro Iuah articles published inthe whih engr tin Blazer. There were Good things. While in Poland for instance the group Learned from its English speaking guide that his country took great Pride in its Independence from Russia. The american found churches and cathedrals there in Good repair but As in All communist countries we did not see Many Young people or children attending the guide proudly Puin cd out Ameri can periodicals for Sale on polish news stands and Vanscoy and his fellow Pas sengers listened to the voice of America on Short wave Nipios in their hotel rooms. Poland s Pride in its stylus. Vansco says came to the fore at lunch in . After a waiter had served our table on of our group thanked him in russian. The Waller immediately addressed this woman saying we Are not russians Here " Vanscoy recalls. Hue Poland s Many loudspeakers lasting out music and endless speeches were an irritation. And there was the ominous presence of the 30-Story Palace of culture very similar to the ugly Gingerbread of Moscow University in the russian was pleasant enough Loo. The tourists found and Prague is a in red Square group did t have to wait in Long lint to be Lenin Tomb. Sp4 Charles Vanscoy came Back with vivid impressions. A highlight of the trip was watching agile performers in the Moscow circus. Vanscoy found Budapest busiest and Mast prosperous of Iron curtain cities. Friday october 30, 1964 the stars and stripes modern highly industrialized people were Well dressed att they did not have the Haggard look Vansco said he often saw in other places Tut a Check on prices in the Sinitt an Eye opener. A Man s suit Cost about 1.000 Krone in a land where a is the average yearly way1. In Czechoslovakia too the the meal that was to Heguine so common for the entire month a thin soup. Meat potatoes and peas about 10 peas each and it soon became game for everyone to count these peas and average out the the crossover into Russia was t exactly pleasant when Tor the first time individuals had to submit to a thorough baggage Check. Some people were asked to turn Over to the authorities everything with writing on it including those things in handbags and wallets an anything on your that was our introduction to the so Viet Union Vanscoy declared. At Brest the americans met their two Inlo Urist russian official travel Agency guides including one woman who soon gained the nickname of the Bud roads big posters proclaiming the glories and goals of communism Lenin statues and paintings everywhere churches decaying from Lack of care Gus stations every 100 Kilometres an then you d have to go to another location to get Oil these were the first impressions. Later the americans met an English speaking student who reported she was about to take her exam in dialectical materialism the theory that says Al things Lead to socialism. The theory consumed this the Soldier traveler said. Later in another City the Bear chewed out a russian Man who approached Vanscoy for a cigarette. But the stay in Moscow Hud its Shuroff pleasantness the excellent artists in the Moscow circus the majesty of the Bolshoi Ballet the Palace like subway stations the changing of the guard Matunin s Tomb. These were All exciting. But the russian youngster who sort of defied the red policeman in playing his portable radio in the neighbourhood s Tomb was memorable Loo. Who knows what the next russian generation will bring Vanscoy wondered. The tourists were taken to the head of the Long line to see Lenin s body but were hustled past Stalin s simple not by his Choice grave with the guide in sisting we must move along because there Are so Many other things to a flight to Leningrad for a Day was Al too Brief and then followed a drive through the Ukraine and its great wheat Fields to Kharkov and Kiev. In he latter City the group viewed new apartment buildings with amazement because of their poor condition. The bus Driver him self pointed out a bulging exterior Wall. The tiny Kitchen and Bath and to room surprised the american housewives. These apartments were meant for families of five on to Odessa the Black sea port where photo restrictions were Lough but Iho travellers were happily wheeled off to a super boy scum Iii Eiling where com i in his i it int or at Mut h pc irs old entertained them ii Lini their show witha March past and u Salute for the Visi film was confiscated and Luggage was closely checked in fore the bus washable to Cross into Romania then Onward to Hungary and Budapest. This last Lii vital City shul we were in visit behind the Iron curtain was by far. The mos Busy and i think the most suld Vanscoy. The people dressed Well the shop windows were filled with goods and restaurants and nightclubs then came he crossover into Austria and that by cheer. Here in the fro West once Aii Aln the americans Felt the were Home though. Vanscoy says the trip is one that i will remember fora u
