Cartoon by Behrendt on liberty and democracy in the Eastern bloc (22 December 1976)

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‘Birthday wishes.’ On 22 December 1976, more than a year after the signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) in Helsinki, Fritz Behrendt, a Dutch cartoonist originally from Berlin, paints an ironic picture of the real application of principle VII of the Final Act, which states that ‘The participating States recognize the universal significance of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an essential factor for the peace, justice and well-being necessary to ensure the development of friendly relations and co-operation among themselves as among all States.’ The Soviet Union, represented by the imposing features of its leader Leonid Brezhnev in a military uniform laden with medals, does not seem willing to commit to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the satellite states of the Eastern bloc (the Baltic states, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Romania) or to reply positively to any demands in this respect.

Source and copyright

Source: Behrendt, Fritz. "Geburtstagswünsche" dans Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 22.12.1976, p. 3 .

Copyright: (c) Fritz Behrendt

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Cartoon by Behrendt on liberty and democracy in the Eastern bloc (22 December 1976)