When the heads of state and party leaders of the Soviet bloc met, there was a lot of kissing: in the 1960s, this took the form of a triple fleeting touch on the cheeks, much like the Russian Orthodox Easter kiss. It was not until Soviet General Secretary Brezhnev came to power that this became a smack directly on the mouth. This was not an expression of love, but a ritual of submission. If anyone stepped out of line, they were given »brotherly assistance« in the form of tank divisions, as was the case with Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968. Only after the balance of power had been clarified did the kissing resume, as in this case between Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev and Erich Honecker.
The hardcover notebook comprises 80 pure white pages (40 double pages).
The hardcover notebook comprises 80 pure white pages (40 double pages).