All along the watch tower: Euronews hits the Iron Curtain Trail

As Europe marks a quarter of a century since the fall of the Berlin Wall, recent tensions between Russia and the West have raised fears of a new Cold War.

How real is this prospect? For an answer Euronews hit the Iron Curtain Trail, travelling to landmark sites and meeting people who lived through this turbulent period of European history.

Reporter Hans Von der Brelie cycled along sections of the once-heavily fortified line that divided Europe into two confrontational halves – the democratic, capitalist West and the totalitarian, communist East.

Along the way he met individuals with personal, painful memories of the Cold War and others with tales of defiance and hope, including a former East German border guard who helped many east Berliners escape to the West.

His starting point was a former Soviet submarine base in Hara, Estonia.

Watch the video.

BONUS 1: Eerik-Niiles Kross

At Tallinn airport, Euronews spoke to the former head of the Estonian Intelligence Service, Eerik-Niiles Kross. 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, is the Cold War coming back again? To listen to the full interview (in English language) please use this link.

BONUS 2: Rasa Jukneviciene (part A)

At the Soviet nuclear missile base in Plokstine, Euronews spoke to the former Lithuanian Minister of Defence, Rasa Jukneviciene. 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, is the Cold War coming back again? To listen to the full interview (in English language) please use this link.

BONUS 3: Rasa Jukneviciene (part B)

Inside the Plokstine-based Lithuanian Cold War Museum, an abandoned Soviet nuclear missile site, Euronews spoke to the former Defence Minister of Lithuania, Rasa Jukneviciene. 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, will growing tensions between Moscow and the Western Defence Alliance NATO lead to a relaunch of the Cold War? To listen to the full interview (in English language) you can use this link.

BONUS 4: Michael Paul, Senior Fellow, SWP

At the Brandenburg Gate in the center of Berlin, Euronews interviewed one of Germany’s leading researchers on geopolitical and NATO-related topics, Dr. Michael Paul, Senior Fellow at the Berlin-based think tank Stiftung für Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP). You can listen to the full interview (in German language) by using this link.

BONUS 5: Rudi Thurow

Rudi Thurow and his underground group helped people to escape from totalitarian-ruled Eastern Germany to free Western Germany. He tells Euronews the amazing story of his life (in German language). Click here.