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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
