Vanishing Threat Perceptions and New Uncertainties in Central Europe

Abstract

On account of the dramatic changes in the former socialist states the usage of some generally accepted notions has become ambiguous. Until very recently, both in professional literature and journalism, in connection with those countries that lie between Western Europe and the Soviet Union, the term ‘Eastern Europe’ was used, although in fact — as it has been stressed again since de Gaulle — Europe extends as far as the Urals. Consequently, Moscow should belong to Eastern Europe, in the same manner as Riga, Gorky or Kazan. But if these cities are in Eastern Europe, Warsaw, Prague and Budapest will have to find another geographic region for themselves, as they differ from the former in many respects, e.g. historically, culturally, politically.