Is Czech Republic the utopian version of Eastern Europe, or at least an ideal role model for all of Eastern Europe? (English, Russian)

[Irene-cd]

czech republic, hungary etc. are NOT eastern europe

CENTRAL EUROPE

[Davy-040]

Originally Posted by Irene-cd

czech republic, hungary etc. are NOT eastern europe

CENTRAL EUROPE

Not in a 2-way (West/East) Europe.

[viribusunitis]

Originally Posted by Davy-040

Not in a 2-way (West/East) Europe.

Considering that Europe is said to end at the Ural Mountains, those countries would be pretty much in the centre or even in western Europe.

[Davy-040]

Originally Posted by viribusunitis

Considering that Europe is said to end at the Ural Mountains, those countries would be pretty much in the centre or even in western Europe.

Some say it ends in the Urals, others say it ends at the Russian border

[viribusunitis]

Originally Posted by Davy-040

Some say it ends in the Urals, others say it ends at the Russian border

I know that you are claiming this again and again. But that doesn't mean that that's a fact. Quite to the contrary.

[Ariete]

Originally Posted by viribusunitis

Considering that Europe is said to end at the Ural Mountains, those countries would be pretty much in the centre or even in western Europe.

Despite Helsinki being more east than Vienna, and despite the finnlandisierung it's funny to say I'm Western Europe and Prague is not.

I prefer the terms "old democracies" and the "new democracies".

[Greysholic]

Originally Posted by viribusunitis

Considering that Europe is said to end at the Ural Mountains, those countries would be pretty much in the centre or even in western Europe.

This.

others say it ends at the Russian border

Who?

[Davy-040]

Originally Posted by Greysholic

This.


Who?

Me and every Dutch person i asked.

[rogerone]

Originally Posted by Ariete

You seem completely uncapable of understanding my point. You seem to think the term 'Eastern Europe' as an insult, but for example the UN don't think that way.

Hello. For me, I perectly undrstand, that Americans classify Czech Rep as, perhaps eastern, but a normal, developped country. That's the American pint of view.
Therefore for us, the Czechs, this is the worst bloody thing someone can say about our country! To understand our reaction, we have to look to the history of patriotism in Czech Lands. A famous and rich kingdom of 15th century, a developped industrial superpower (5th greatest industrial power on the planet) in between Wars,
then came France and England and they sold us to Hitler. Hitler occupied us for 5 years, after the war came the communist coup d'état and again, we were a totalitarian regime. Then Prague Spring, the liberalisation of politics, we finally see a hope after 30 years, a path to retake democracy, that has been stolen. 1968, Soviet invasion. Occupied for another 20 years. 1989- Revolution! Democracy!
What you need to understand is, that Czechs absolutly need to boost their egos. Czechs are absolutly depressed from the history. Their only hope is democracy and liberty. Yes, we are a pretty rich country, but with the moral at the minimum. We need to be called western europe, it's nessecary for our patriotism and history. Or don't divide Europe at all! As there is no official "eastern USA" and "western USA" borderline, there shoudn't be one in europe neither! Just call the countries by their names and dont divide us into stereotypes that are not true since 10 years or so. If croatia have the right to be called southern europe and baltic states have the right to be called baltic europe, we have the right to be called central or western europe!!!

[ABQConvict]

During the cold war, Czech Republic was often described as Eastern Europe in America. That was 25 years ago now.

While the post WWII period colored the West's perception of Czechoslovakia as 'Eastern', Bohemia has no such connotation. It is a historically Catholic country, Latin alphabet, formerly large German population/influence, West-oriented country from the Middle Ages to today.

I have no Problem seeing and referring to the Czech Republic as Central Europe. Apart from being Slavic and under Russian domination for a few decades there is little else to connect them to the East.