Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

For twenty-six years, war, exile and the Iron Curtain kept one Polish family apart. Torn from his homeland and sent into Stalin’s labour camp system, Aleksander Jablonski survived hunger, forced labour and a wartime journey through Russia, Iran and Italy before fighting at Monte Cassino.

When the war ended, returning to communist Poland was impossible. He built a new life in Britain, but the family he had left behind remained painfully out of reach. Then, after more than a quarter of a century, came the chance to cross back behind the Iron Curtain.

In this moving episode, his daughters tell a story of separation, survival and a reunion in communist Poland. It is also the story of a Polish community in Britain, the children who inherited its memories, and the enduring pull of a homeland that distance, politics and time could never entirely erase.

Additional thanks to Stefan Hales-Józefczyk and the Leek Polish Connection for welcoming me into their group and allowing me to record this story.

Curated episode extras ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode470

Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation,

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I’m delighted to tell you about Cold War Conversations History Tours

I'm exploring the idea of hosting a Cold War history tour via a specialist tour company, and I'd like your help working out what it
should be.

There are several directions it could take, and your answers will
shape the plan. There’s a short survey which should take about 5 minutes.

Here's the link https://survey.chasehistorytours.com/coldwar



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eligible for a discount if a tour is announced (please provide your email at
the end).

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After German reunification, former East German Air Force officer Roland faced an extraordinary transformation: joining the military alliance he had once been trained to fight.

Roland recounts his difficult passage from the East German military into the Bundeswehr. His experience, qualifications and years of service suddenly counted for less.

Having been a member of the Communist Party, he endured intensive screening, as well as a reduction in rank, lower pay than western colleagues and long separations from his family. Some new comrades welcomed him; others regarded him with suspicion, prejudice and open hostility.

Yet Roland was determined to prove that professionalism could survive the collapse of the country he had served. From working with Mi-8 helicopters to supporting Germany’s inherited MiG-29 fleet, he rebuilt his career inside a radically different military culture.

This is a revealing story of reunification from inside the armed forces—and of one former “enemy” confronting divided loyalties, institutional mistrust and the challenge of beginning again.

Special thanks to Witali Gerber, military historian and curator at the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, for his assistance in arranging this interview.

Curated episode extras ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode469/⁠⁠⁠

Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation,

You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in
your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION

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What did it mean to train as an officer in the East German Air Force, where technical skill, military discipline and socialist ideology were inseparable?

Roland recalls his journey into the air arm of the Nationale Volksarmee, from dreams of flying MiG fighters to the demanding realities of officer training and service with Mi-8 helicopters. He describes the long days, intensive political instruction and constant expectation that war with NATO could erupt at any moment.

Behind the impressive aircraft and tightly controlled military routines lay a system shaped by loyalty, surveillance and pressure to conform. Yet everyday life also depended on friendship, professionalism and the determination to keep complex Soviet-built machines flying.

Roland offers a rare first-hand view inside one of the Warsaw Pact’s most secretive forces, revealing how young East Germans were prepared to defend the GDR—and what happened when Gorbachev’s reforms and growing unrest began to challenge everything they had been taught.

You’ll have to tune in next week for Roland’s experiences as East Germany implodes and his subsequent service in the Bundeswehr. Special thanks to Witali Gerber, military historian and curator at the Militärhistorisches Museum der Bundeswehr, for his assistance in arranging this interview.

Curated episode extras ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode468/⁠⁠

Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation,

You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in
your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION

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Romania in the 1980s was a country of empty shops, power cuts,
rationing and fear—but for one little girl it was also home. In this episode,
author Oana Aristide shares the remarkable childhood experiences that inspired her novel Astronaut.

From writing an anti-Ceaușescu protest demanding more cartoons to surviving freezing winters, queuing for food and learning not to trust the wrong people, her memories bring Cold War Romania vividly to life.

Oana explains how children experienced dictatorship differently from adults, revealing a world where imagination flourished despite repression. Rich with humour, warmth and poignant reflection, this conversation offers a unique perspective on life behind the Iron Curtain.

Enter the book giveaway here
⁠⁠ https://coldwarconversations.com/giveaway/⁠⁠

Buy Oana's book here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://amzn.to/45lXo6E

Curated episode extras ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode466/⁠

Help me preserve Cold War history via a simple monthly donation,

You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, receive a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank-you, and bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history.

Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we also welcome one-off tips via the same link.

Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in
your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION

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