Dear Lennart...

It is time for one of the most interesting post cards I have in my collection! This time it is not that much about the front of the card, but the message written on the back. It is a post card sent from a man named Klaus, in the former GDR, to a man called Lennart, likely living in Sweden.

The front of the card is a typical GDR card, with old and new architecture:

The pictures are, from top left and down:

• The Unter den Linden memorial "Neue Wache". Originally built as a guard house for the troops of the crown prince of Prussia. Used as a war memorial since 1931.
• Ernst-Thälmann-Park
• Rathausstrasse
• Biergarten at Spittelmarkt
• Märkisches Ufer

The back of the card contains a long written message with lots of details about the thoughts of a man named Klaus, living in the GDR, at the very end of the lifetime of that country. The card is dated 4/3 1989, just some half year before the wall came down. It involves thoughts about the rapid political changes in the USSR and other former communist states. The card was sent to his friend Lennart. This is a typically Swedish name, so I assume it was sent to Sweden.

The card was likely sent in an envelope, as it has no visible address or stamp.

If you have problems reading the text, here is a transcript. I have tried to keep the original spelling.

Dear Lennart,
Thank you very much for your letter. I'm very glad.
I see it has also some advantage to live in the GDR. I have not such a trouble with my flat. It is quite cheap (106.- Mark p. month) I with you that you find a good new flat.
It is interesting to read that you have visited a mine. Would you work as a miner? It is not a very hard work? 
It is interesting to read, that you don't like the policy if Gorbatchow. Can you say me some reasons more for your oppinion? I think he is a clever man, but he has a long way to get success. The economical situation becomes not better in the USSR. And this is terrible. If Gorbatchow want to be successful, then he needs the economical development. The democracy alone and the right to say the truth is not enough. What do you think about the situation in Afghanistan and Paraguay? Do you see a future there?
Dear Lennart I have a request. Could you send me the record "The Lion and the Cobra" by Sinead O'Connor? I could send you a record from here too or a book. Ok? Please write soon my dear friend.
Best wishes Klaus

It amazes me that there could be so much thoughts and information at just one side of a post card! I really wish Klaus got the Sinead O'Connor record! I hope Lennart wrote back! I wonder what their previous and later conversations was about?

If someone out there have any idea about who Lennart and Klaus might be, please tell me! I would be very happy to find out more. I guess it would be almost impossible to find an email address to them now, 24 years later, but it would be very interesting to write to them now, to see if they have any thoughts about the historical changes after their post card.

Here follows some views from the post card, as they look today.

Neue Wache

Larger map

Ernst-Thälmann-Park

Larger map

Rathausstraße

Larger map

Spittelmarkt

Larger map

Märksiches Ufer

Visa större karta

I hope you found this card as interesting as I do!