Iron Curtain Divided Europe Two Parts Cold War Soviet Union Through Bolshevik Russia Ethel Snowden

The Iron Curtain was the wall that divided Europe in two halves after the conclusion of Second World War till the conclusion of Cold War. The barrier was physical, ideological and symbolic. The curtain separated parts of Europe from nearly 1945 to the year 1991.


The countries located on central Europe and eastern side of Europe were governed by the Soviet Union. They had their military power and had also developed the economy of the country. They made the famous Warsaw Pact and COMECON. The physical border was constructed for the defence purpose. Joseph Goebbels who was a politician of Germany and Nazi’s Propaganda Minister was the first person who referred about the Iron Curtain which would be raised on Europe after the Second World War ended. He published this proposal in a newspaper of Germany named Das Reich. The term became popular after Winston Churchill used it while addressing Sinews of Peace.

Countries other than Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and West Germany were administered by Soviet Union when the Iron Curtain existed. The states that were in central Europe were often regarded as Eastern Europe. West Europe considered Czechoslovakia and East Germany to be eastern European state. The physical boundary parted Czechoslovakia from Austria in the southern side. Most of the states became part of Soviet Union. Yugoslavia and Albania became communist states and were not in the Soviet Union.

The countries located in Southern, Western and Northern Europe remained in the western side of the Iron Curtain. Switzerland, Liechtenstein, West Germany and Austria controlled the economy of the market. All the countries except Greece, Spain and Portugal had democratic government. Fascists ruled Portugal and Spain and Greece were ruled by militant dictator. The states of western Europe excepting Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland were the allies of Canada and United States. They formed NATO. On financial basis European Free Association and European communities formed association in west, that was equivalent to COMECON.

The term Iron Curtain was found in the book Through Bolshevik Russia written by Ethel Snowden. Winston Churchill made it popular. Some iron monuments are still present in southern Czech Republic. Monuments are present in Devin, Berlin and Modlareuth. Iron Curtain