Ive posted this before but a repeat seems to be appropriate now. This one is thanks to Strange Maps whic has lots of fascinating maps, some fictional, some bizarre: many are real, but obscure or virtually forgotten. Although not a map as such there is an entry about Ernst Thallman Island .
The GDR still lives? Well technically it appears so. Cayo Ernesto Thaelmann, formerly Cayo Blanco del Sur, is 15km (about nine and a half miles) long and 500m (a bit over a quarter of a mile) wide island just off the coast of Cuba in the Gulf of Cojones, sorry Cazones. It is uninhabited, other than occasional tourists.
On the occasion of a state visit in June 1972 Castro made the island a gift to the GDR and it was remnamed in the memory of pre-WWII German Communist leader Ernst Thalmann. One of its beaches was renamed Playa RDA (GDR Beach) and in August 1972 there was an event to mark the island's on the island's ceremonial transfer which involved the unveiling of a bust of Thälmann
After reunification Germany made no claims for the territory and thus the island technically represents the sole landmass of the former communist state The Cuban government now views the gift as a symbolic gesture rather than a concession and would probably not be happy if settled by Germans of any political strip
The Bust of Thallman survived the downfall of communism but could not withstand the ravages of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
I for one await the return of the DDR, Trabanys and dubious looking female shot putters with fine, bushy beards. Better still Gorgon George Galloway will have a brand new leader whose arse he can lick to his heart's content
Showing posts with label DDR. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DDR. Show all posts
10 November 2009
22 July 2007
The GDR Still Lives
Every so often I stumble upon a site that deserves numerous lengthy visits. One such recent find is Strange Maps. As one would expect it has lots of fascinating maps, some fictional, some bizarre: many are real, but obscure or virtually forgotten. Although not a map as such there is an entry about Ernst Thallman Island . I think I had read about this somewhere before but I had forgotten about it.
The GDR still lives? Well technically it appears so. Cayo Ernesto Thaelmann, formerly Cayo Blanco del Sur, is 15km (about nine and a half miles) long and 500m (a bit over a quarter of a mile) wide island just off the coast of Cuba in the Gulf of Cojones, sorry Cazones. It is uninhabited, other than occasional tourists.
On the occasion of a state visit in June 1972 Castro made the island a gift to the GDR and it was remnamed in the memory of pre-WWII German Communist leader Ernst Thalmann. One of its beaches was renamed Playa RDA (GDR Beach) and in August 1972 there was an event to mark the island's on the island's ceremonial transfer which involved the unveiling of a bust of Thälmann
After reunification Germany made no claims for the territory and thus the island technically represents the sole landmass of the former communist state The Cuban government now views the gift as a symbolic gesture rather than a concession and would probably not be happy if settled by Germans of any political strip
The Bust of Thallman survived the downfall of communism but could not withstand the ravages of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Other communist nations were more parsimonious that Cuba. Mongolia and Vietnam merely issued stamps to mark Thalmann's centenary in 1986...
The GDR still lives? Well technically it appears so. Cayo Ernesto Thaelmann, formerly Cayo Blanco del Sur, is 15km (about nine and a half miles) long and 500m (a bit over a quarter of a mile) wide island just off the coast of Cuba in the Gulf of Cojones, sorry Cazones. It is uninhabited, other than occasional tourists.
On the occasion of a state visit in June 1972 Castro made the island a gift to the GDR and it was remnamed in the memory of pre-WWII German Communist leader Ernst Thalmann. One of its beaches was renamed Playa RDA (GDR Beach) and in August 1972 there was an event to mark the island's on the island's ceremonial transfer which involved the unveiling of a bust of Thälmann
After reunification Germany made no claims for the territory and thus the island technically represents the sole landmass of the former communist state The Cuban government now views the gift as a symbolic gesture rather than a concession and would probably not be happy if settled by Germans of any political strip
The Bust of Thallman survived the downfall of communism but could not withstand the ravages of Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Other communist nations were more parsimonious that Cuba. Mongolia and Vietnam merely issued stamps to mark Thalmann's centenary in 1986...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)