After Stalin’s death in 1953, hopes of reform spread across the Eastern Bloc. But Soviet influence remained firmly in place, and demands for greater freedom were met with repression.
From East Germany to Hungary and Poland, people challenged communist rule through strikes, demonstrations and political resistance.
The Soviet response revealed the limits of change within a system built on military control, censorship and fear.
Daily life behind the Iron Curtain was shaped by shortages, surveillance and the pressure to conform. Many adapted by separating public behaviour from private beliefs, relying on informal networks, underground culture and political humour.
The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 marked a decisive stage in Europe’s division, closing one of the last remaining passages between East and West.
Documentary: Iron Curtain: Life under Soviet Occupation (épisode 3)
Directed by: Tania Rakhmanova
Production: ROCHE PRODUCTIONS (2024)
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