Last days in old Europe : Trieste '79, Vienna '85, Prague '89

More about the book

In 1979, Richard Bassett embarked on adventures in central Europe, experiencing the last echoes of the Hapsburg lands and witnessing the decline of communist rule. Traveling from Trieste to Prague and Vienna to Warsaw, he encountered fading aristocrats, charming gangsters, fractious diplomats, and glamorous informants, offering a unique perspective on life behind the Iron Curtain as a musician and foreign correspondent. The narrative reveals familiar events and places through unexpected lenses: dilapidated mansions, boarding-houses, train carriages, and cafes, often serving as backdrops for espionage between East and West. Bassett shares surprising encounters with figures such as Shirley Temple, Fitzroy Maclean, Lech Walesa, and the last Empress of Austria. He attends King Nicola of Montenegro's funeral, plays bridge with the last recipient of an Austrian imperial decoration, and observes the KGB's final rites for the Soviet empire in Prague. The book intertwines music, art, architecture, food, wine, friendship, and history, reflecting Bassett's romantic inclination towards the values of a bygone era. He vividly captures the essence of Mitteleuropa during a pivotal decade in its history.