BRATISLAVA SMALL BIG CITY
surrealistic collage expressing Slovak national symbols
Bratislava is like an unwanted child in the Vienna/ Budapest/ Prague family, which is being cruelly overlooked. The issue I am about to introduce is the phenomenon of identity (culture & lifestyle theme). I might get judged by ‘Bratislavians’ that it is not appropriate for me to write this essay, because I have never lived or studied in Bratislava. However there is a connection between me, as a Slovak citizen, and the capital of my 21 years old country. There is a frustration. There is a fascination. Based on geographical location and historical development it may seem like Bratislava’s destiny, to be an obscure second-tier city. Understanding the historical trajectory of the city may allow us to see why Bratislava goes through ‘identity crises’ and why the city does not really ‘ring a bell’. In the last hundred years, the city has undergone diverse and rather extreme political past. After the First World War and the collapse of Austria-Hungary, there were blooming years of right-wing national nourishment. During the Second World War this nationalistic effort transformed into fascism. Right after WW II, the Russian socialist regime changed it forcefully. The next 40 years, Czechoslovakia became a satellite state that followed the Kremlin. No market economy, no freedom. Everything was heavily politicized, centralized and controlled by the state. The power belonged to the elite. In the late 80’s and early 90’s a lot changed. November 1989 brought the Velvet Revolution, massive key jingling, which ended the communistic regime. The modern history began. After 1989 and peaceful Czechoslovak separation in 1993, Bratislava faced major changes. On one hand, it had to adapt to the rapid transformation from a closed communistic towards market based capitalist economy and on the other hand playing the role of capital city. What is the post-communist city? With elements of brutality and modernism, and a pinch of dystopia, current Bratislava reflects a shadow of by-gone era that was not so long ago, and yet, is now strangely foreign and distant. The dirt and the slightly apathic people are typical for the city. The previous regime left trauma, distrust in the politics and the ‘pub jargon’ that nothing is possible. Bratislava is a city adolescent, shy and confused with a certain level of ambivalence. Old communistic buildings are being emotionlessly demolished and the public places are being sold to foreign developers. New soulless residential/ commercial complexes are trying to overshadow the charming ’Eastern European’ roughness. We still need to learn what it is to live in democracy. Freedom and responsibility have to go hand in hand. It is also important what story we tell about ourselves. We should stop presenting ourselves as backward rural sheep herders. The very fact that Czechoslovakia separated peacefully is absolutely unique in the modern history of the world and we as a culture should embrace it. The story of contemporary Bratislava holds authenticity and the important message for 21st century. So please, let’ s stop being 15 years old adolescent and start to be young progressive 21 old city which is created by responsible and compassionate people.