Veszprem in Hungary - by Nigel A. JAMES
The Red Star of the Reds – A short
story about
plattenbaus
The
red stars and statues of Lenin and Stalin may have gone from the
face of the old Soviet block, but there is still one
reminder that
takes us straight back to the heart of the Communist era.
And, this is the plattenbaus.
They are still to be seen all over the once eastern block.
Built
as of the 1950s, these enormous blocks
of flats made of concrete slabs
were not only designed to make everyone equal in true Leninist
style, but also
to counter
the homelessness
caused by the war. And, they were, to a certain
extent, successful. Each apartment
came with its own WC, bathroom, simple kitchen, hot and cold running
water and heating. But, despite these advantages, the plattenbaus
were not very popular.
With
their grim characterless oneness, they offered very
little privacy. The walls were so thin that everyone was able to hear
what everyone else was saying and doing. And, on fine summer days,
with windows wide open, everyone knew what everyone else was having
for lunch. The air was alive with a cocktail of kitchen smells,
babies crying, children screaming, loud music and talking and
squabbling! The
smell of cabbage cooking carries a very long way! But,
there was something else, too.
The
plattenbaus were all part of a big social plan. Points were needed in
order to get an apartment, and the biggest scorers were children.
Meaning, the more children you had, the better your chances. But,
unfortunately, big families were not always easy, and, quite often
it was the peace of living that suffered. But, that's how things
were. And, of course, with children came life!
And
life always manages to find its own course. And, because plattenbaus
were always built on huge estates on the edges of
towns, there was always a long way to go to the nearest shops and
facilities. And, so it was, that these estates became the ideal
places for small businesses and services. There were, and still are,
in and amongst the plattenbaus, many small shops such as
hairdressers, small grocery stores and even sometimes friendly bars.
And, each estate was provided with a kindergarten, playground and
school.
And,
of course, there are similar constructions in the rest of Europe,
too. Apartment blocks built out of concrete slabs are not unusual.
But, wherever you go in the “west”, you will never find
anything like the plattenbaus of the old “former east”. The
character of these buildings is their style, and style is a thing
that's unique. And, when it comes to comfort, the plattenbaus have
just as much chance as everything else. In your own four walls you
can do what you like. Nice living is nothing other than taste!
And,
of course, life in the plattenbaus is the same as every where else.
There are close friendships and neighbourly contacts, and the not so
good, too. Its all human nature. And, the future?
The
plattenbaus are undergoing a renaissance! With generous help
from the European Union, these buildings are being brought up to date
with insulation and new coats of paint. These once grim
estates are now looking better than ever and have become places that
are nice to go home to!
And
so, what started as a solution has now become a goal in itself. Many
young people are now finding their first homes in these flats, and,
for the elderly, they are perfect. A good home is important and a
plattenbau can be just as good as anything else! And, sometimes,
even much better!
The
Red Star of then is still brightly shining, and is set to continue
for ever!
Vocabulary
certain extent – gewissermaßen
concrete slabs - Betonplatten
counter (to counter/countered/countered)
- entgegnen
eastern block – Ostblock
enormous -
riesig
estate – Siedlung
grim – grimmig
u. trostlos
homelessness – Obdachlosigkeit
huge – riesig
insulation – Isolierung
once - einmal
oneness – Geschlossenheit
plattenbau - Wohnhaus
aus Betonplatten
reminder – Erinnerung
squabbling – Gezänk
undergoing (to
undergo/underwent/undergone) - unterziehen
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