Contemporary (1950 CE - Present)
Fertility and Abortion in Czechoslovakia, 1950-2005
This graph shows two trends in the Czech population (first in Czechoslovakia and after 1993 in the Czech Republic)—changes in fertility rates (births per women aged 15-49) and the abortion rate in this same population.
Macroeconomic Indicators in Czechoslovakia 1970-1990
One of the many ways historians, economists, and other social scientists measure the health of a state’s economy is by examining changes in macroeconomic indicators over time.
GDP in Yugoslavia: 1980-1989
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in Yugoslavia: 1980 vs. 1989
(All figures in 1972 US Dollars)
The Trabant
For many in the West the Trabant automobile was one of the symbols of the economic differences between Eastern and Western Europe.
East Germany Protest
Protests erupt in East Germany, which leads to the fall of Honecker's regime and the eventual collapse of the GDR.
The Berlin Wall 1989
Crowds gather on the Wall, Berlin.
Crowd in Prague 1989
Protesters rally in the streets to celebrate the election of the new President of a democratic Czechoslovakia, Vlaclav Havel.
Romania and Its Neighbors
One of the more challenging parts of teaching Romania is the relative unfamiliarity of many Americans with the geography of the places in Eastern Europe, especially the Balkans.
Video of Ceausescu’s Last Speech, December 1989
One of the most decisive moments in the Romanian Revolution of 1989 was Ceausescu’s December 21st speech (or lack thereof). This speech was an annual event and carefully scripted by the regime to insure both success and the appearance of popular support.
Two Lenins (forward)
These busts of Lenin (Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov), the first leader of the Soviet Union, are but two samples of thousands of different versions of Lenin's likeness. Both are copies of the same plaster bust, approximately two feet in height.