I am a Bulgarian exchange student at the University of Missuori, USA. I came
across this photo essay accidentally. I find the report too one-sided,
emphasizing the differences between the West and East, delving in the
poorest regions of these countries and creating a bad image for this side of
the world. Here in Missouri, USA I have had the opportunity for the first
time to see the American lower classes and I am quite shocked becuase so
far, I have seen images only from the "show-me" part of America: flashy
skycrapers and picturesque university campuses. So, in the same negative
style, a report depicting the cruel capitalism in the USA can be created.
- Veselina M. Kertikova, Missouri
10/28/00
I am from Bulgaria. I have lived in Communism
14 years. I have witnessed the struggle against it and have taken active role in
the protest after the fall. Although the photos are
really impressive they create a one sided presentation of the countries. For
smaller countries such as Bulgaria it is very unhealthy to be advertised in
such a way especially when we are struggling to make a successful transition and
even join the EU at a later stage. I am convinced that there is also a colorful
side of these countries, and not only the misery and gloom these photos are
trying to install in the minds of the viewers.
- Aleksandar Gevrenov, Cleveland,
Ohio
10/25/00
I am working with Soviet people in Philadelphia, PA and this essay helps to convey to me the world
these folks have fled from. It also reminds me of my visit to Moscow, Kiev,
and Odessa last year. What a tragedy that countries with such able people
have to be exploited by corrupt and self serving governments.
- Ron Elkin
Director
AMMI Ministry and New Beginnings ESL School
Philadelphia, PA
10/18/00
I chanced upon this site by accident. I was really touched by what I saw.
These are perhaps the most poignant and beautiful pictures I've ever seen,
it has caught the scenes and moods of the people very well. Great job!
- Nupur Chowdhury, Calcutta
09/13/00
I'm a Hungarian from Hungary and I'm not really satisfied with the
pictures of Hungary. It's only the dark side, and they are five
years old taken in a part of the country which is the poorest.
While it's true there are a few places which look like this, if you go around Hungary you can also
see nice and lively
small towns with people who are not sick of life and who are not alcoholics.
It would be nice if next there would just as many pictures of
the bright as of the dark side.
- Fal Gábor, Hungary
09/13/00
I was so impressed with your web site regarding your experiences and photos
of the Former Soviet Bloc. My daughter just came back from spending time in
Ukraine, through the Peace Corps. Your stories and pictures depict an
accurate account of the situation over there.
Thank you for making this part of the world available to us to witness, in
such a wonderful format.
- Jill Gollinger, Scottsdale, Arizona
09/08/00
Superb photography in the best classical way, reminiscent of
Cartier-Bresson,
Koudelka and others.
Photo-essays like these make it clear that straight, unmanipulized,
undigitalized
documentary photography will always have its place and find its
platform.
- Dirk Passchier, The Netherlands
09/08/00
Very nice photography, but as often in Western media, it gives negative
impressions of these countries. My experiences in Eastern Europe both in the
beginning and end of the nineties are more optimistic.
- Arno Stam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
09/07/00
As a Canadian currently living in Kyrgyzstan (part of the former Soviet
Union) and having grown up in West Germany during the Cold War, I have been
exposed to much of the 'them-us' culture. This is not an unnatural
characteristic of society. However, the photo essay has a tendency towards
pessimism in its portrayal of 'the gap'. I believe that the last few years
have seen a more harmonic melding of hope and reality in a way that only
experience can teach. I believe that lessons have been learned and that
society from "Behind the Wall" is eager to build their individual worlds as
best they can.
I fear that our western psyches strongly color our perception of "progress"
and "success". Family is touted in the west as a fundamental building block
of society; over here, it IS the fundamental building block of society.
- Chris Mueller,
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
09/05/00
Mr. Suau may be a photo-journalist, but I find his commentary as naive
as he claims his subjects are.
Anyone with an ounce of familiarity with the Soviet Union would not
refer to it as the "so-called evil empire". I think the accuracy of
Reagan's statement has long since been validated.
- Stephen Eastman
09/04/00
Thank you for enlightening me with your photos of "The Former Soviet Bloc".
Your photos captured the tragedies as well as the simple pleasures of the
region in these changing, sometimes volatile times. They also instilled a
sense of hope that things will get better. Hopefully they will.
- Peter J. Engert, Chicago
09/01/00
Anthony Suau's images and words describe magnificently a phenomenon that we
are not about to see again: a nation that was meant to be isolated from the
rest of the world, notwithstanding its inhabitants' desires. I visited the
Soviet Union regularly during the period examined by Mr. Suau, and have
always been struck by the fact that despite ludicrous politics, people
still found a way to interact.
- François St-Pierre, Montréal, Québec
09/01/00
These photos brought to us a powerful image of the best and worst of a human being: untainted, naive nature or characters and its brutality.
-Van N. Tran, Union City, CA
08/31/00
Anthony Suau has done in pictures what few writers have been able to
communicate in words. For years, we in the West have read about the
hardships that those in Eastern Europe, Russia and surrounding countries
have endured following the fall of the wall and Communism. It is only
through photo essays such as this that we begin to see how these people
- people like us, people with families, people with concerns for the
future - live from day to day under such oppressive and jarring
conditions.
-Tim Condron
Cincinnati, Ohio
08/30/00
Breathtaking. An amazing effort.
- Trent Nelson, Salt Lake City, UT
08/30/00
I enjoyed seeing Mr. Suau's many powerful and moving photos. I do, however, feel the tone of the photo essay is overly negative. Mr. Suau's juxtaposition of the entrances of
Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary into NATO with the Kosovo
tragedy is misleading. The coincidence of those events was just that, a
coincidence. His prose and photos implies a causality that isn't
reality.
-Edward G. Keating, Los Angeles
08/30/00
This is the best photography I've seen, since I was first introduced to
documentary photography by Paul Schutzer (LIFE) in the '60s.
I just want to say 'Thanks' to this unique photographer, and to you for
this site. Unbelivable.
-Israel Talby, Tel Aviv
08/29/00
This photo essay is beautiful and distressing.
-Eugene Hernandez, New York City
08/29/00
I hope you return to that region and capture ... the bright side of
her as she goes through her transformation. Thank you.
-Crystal Hanna, USA
08/29/00
I have always been curious about Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Your photo essay "Beyond The Fall" provides a fascinating glimpse into
the countries, culture and people of Eastern Europe. Thanks.
-Oyeniyi Oyediran
