European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse A Porfano a attending Church services. Sure Al cleaners in Tbilisi Georgia til for a rest a Chat after sweeping the capital s sidewalks. Or Baches understands the West. 15, 1985 the georgians by Roxanne Ervasti associated press t he russians gave us soviet Power people in Tbilisi. Georgia like to say. Bui we gave them Josef , the soviet dictator who died in 1953.was a native of Georgia went to school in this capital where his daughter Svetlana Allilu Yeva has come to live following her return to the soviet Union after 17 years in the West As a defector. The georgians Are a proud people with an ancient culture language who Don t conform to the soviet style life. The georgian soviet socialist Republic was a kingdom thai began around the 4th Century . And reached its height in the 12th 13th centuries . It then was overrun by turks persians. It turned to czarist Russia for Protection in the late 18th Century this historic relationship May in part explain the relatively Long Leash the Kremlin gives it As Well As the abounding cynicism the georgians show about their slavic leaders in Moscow. Georgia is one of 15 soviet republics today. It has 5 million people who mostly live along the Black sea coast. Riding the Airport bus along the Palm tree lined Highway into Tbilisi a visitor from Moscow notices the relative wealth in Public works the Low key presence of the com Murdist party a Mediterranean atmosphere. Even such a Small thing As ample Street lamps stand out. In Moscow Street lighting is dim the going hazardous for Drivers because of lurching dark clothed pedestrians gaping holes h the streets. Neon lights dancing like Small scale Las vegas billboards do the party sloganeering when it exists another contrast to the Dull red White billboards in other soviet cities. Aik a about i paucity of communist part signs a local resident jokes. Well you just can t see them because of All the then he becomes a trifle serious. You know the party needed these slogans alter the revolution because people were illiterate these served As simple rallying through the centuries Georgia has had a High literacy rate. It now surpasses much of the soviet Union in per capita University education. The georgian Pride the determination to retain a georgian identity come in Subtle ways. One Man jokes about a georgian meeting a foreigner at the Airport. Where Are you going asks the foreigner. To the soviet Union on the georgian replies. And Are you also travelling abroad wine is everywhere . Despite the Kremlin s exhortations for labor discipline the traditional georgian afternoon respite from work holds. In cafes Champagne corks pop noisily As workmates friends gather for an hour or so. The Champagne is mixed with a fizzy lemonade nobody staggers away. Throughout the Countryside workers have two three Story Homes with space that muscovites notoriously Lack. Gardens contain Small vineyards no georgian would be without his private win making equipment. A georgian official hosting a group of visiting journalists apologizes for offering a Toast with fruit juice in line with the Kremlin s ban on alcohol at official functions. In Georgia toasting is a ritual the officials later take the reporters to the private Homes of workers where the toasts Are made with a stronger substance. The Only anti drinking poster seen on a trip of several Days throughout the Republic was on the window of a store in Kutaisi. It had a Chart warning of the link Between excessive drinking sexual disorders sterility " the Republic abounds with ancient monasteries cathedrals where Georgia s own monarchs their descendants Are buried in the hallowed floors guides speak frequently of Georgia s history How the privileged went to Athens to be educated How the works of Aristotle Plato were translated into the georgian language during those philosophers time. Modern monuments also abound. In Kutaisi a Monument to labor features a sculpture Garden with rotating works. On display now Are several bronzed nudes that one would be surprised to see elsewhere in the soviet Union. The More lasting Monument is of course to Stalin Svetlana Allilu Yeva her american born daughter. Olga Peters. 14, live in a High Rise building next to the City s indoor swimming Pool in the Heights above Tbilisi proper. Allilu Yeva works at a foreign language Institute. In Gori Stalin s Birthplace the huge museum has received a new collection of family photos that the curator says Allilu Yeva provided. Stalin s lather was a Shoemaker Shoemakers everywhere sell Little Stalin artefacts. In one. A picture of Stalin with Flower bearing children is displayed along with a portrait of today s soviet Leader. Mikhail Gorbachev. The stars stripes Page 15
