hidden europe 1

Streetwise in the middle of Europe

Summary

So where does hidden europe actually come from? From a garret in Reykjaví­k perhaps? Or a basement in Kiev? No, hidden europe is produced in the very middle of Europe just a stone's throw from the erstwhile border between West Berlin and the former German Democratic Republic (the DDR). We are more or less at the junction of two of Europe's truly great highways, the E30 and the E55. Well, not actually right at the junction but merely a few kilometres away.

We are not sure that any living soul has ever driven either the E30 or the E55 from end to end, but if they have, we would certainly like to hear from them. The E30 must be among the longest highways in the world, and the E55 is no trifling byway either. Indeed it ranks as one of Europe's prime north - south routes. Both highways converge from different directions near Berlin, briefly share a few kilometres of the city's southern ring, then go their separate ways again.

A half hour sitting by the side of that cardinal artery is enough to spot the licence plates of a dozen or more European countries: whether it be Finland or Moldova, Belarus or Bulgaria, the shared stretch of the E30 and the E55 provides fertile ground for those of more nerdish inclinations. But somehow, number plates aside, these two roads between them seem to sum up what hidden europe is all about.

Where does the E30 actually go?

This is just an excerpt. The full text of this article is not yet available to members with online access to hidden europe. Of course you can read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 1.
Related articleFull text online

In search of a new role: the port city of Szczecin

The shipyards in Szczecin once built some the world's finest and fastest passenger liners. But today the cranes are silent, and the city of Szczecin is struggling to define its role in modern Poland. The Baltic port city is a gritty place, and all the more interesting for that.

Related articleFull text online

A Silesian Jerusalem: visiting the calvary at Krzeszów

Not far from the Czech border, in the southernmost part of Polish Silesia, lies the monastery of Krzeszów (formerly known by its German name of Grüssau). It was to this quiet spot that manuscripts and books from Berlin were sent for safe keeping in the Second World War. These days, pilgrims make their way to the monastery as a place of prayer.

Related articleFull text online

From Prussia to Russia: Kaliningrad

With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Baltic port of Kaliningrad found itself strangely isolated from the rest of Russia. Hemmed in by the European Union, the city of Kaliningrad is rethinking its role in the modern world. It is a remarkable city in a remarkable region.