Berlin was the most famous but by no means the only city in Europe to be divided by the Cold War. At the time, the main Vienna-Prague rail line ran northwest from Vienna, passing through southern Bohemia on its way up to Prague today the route starts to the northeast of Vienna and runs through Brno, east of Prague. The new route is longer, but quicker. The irony, of course, was that they were historically the same town.
The two train stations were separated by machine guns and barbed wire, but were just 3kms 2 miles apart. Until WWII, the region functioned essentially as one city albeit with different languages and cultures.
I still remember those train journeys from the late s like they were yesterday. The train would be filled with school kids or businessmen or families visiting relatives in the provinces.
The engineer would cut the motor again but this time it felt real , the train would gasp, and then die. The silence is palpable, pierced only by police whistles in the distance, a few muffled words between soldiers, and the inevitable banging up the stairs as the soldiers and customs agents board the carriages. Customs formalities were usually routine, and I never encountered any serious problems at the border. Importing currency back then was strictly verboten , but I was seldom checked and happy to help out a couple in Poland who needed the money to buy a house.
I broke into a cold sweat and could scarcely lift the suitcase down without shaking. He made a quick search, found nothing, and wished me a pleasant journey.
