After the elections held on 4 and 18 June 1989 in Poland, which see the collapse of the Communist Party, Tadeusz Mazowiecki becomes the first non-communist head of government in Eastern Europe.
John Maynard Keynes, an internationally renowned economist and financial adviser at the British Treasury, at the Bretton Woods Conference in July 1944. At the conference, 44 countries sign an agreement which establishes the gold exchange standard and makes the US dollar the only reserve currency convertible into gold.
Henry Morgenthau Jr, US Treasury Secretary, at the Bretton Woods Conference in July 1944. At the conference, 44 countries sign an agreement which establishes the gold exchange standard and makes the US dollar the only reserve currency convertible into gold.
‘Long live the steadfast friendship and partnership between the Soviet and Chinese peoples!’ This Soviet propaganda poster is published in 1951 to illustrate the good relations between the USSR and the People’s Republic of China. The two communist leaders Joseph Stalin (on the left) and Mao Zedong (on the right) are shown shaking hands, demonstrating the mutual understanding that was sealed on 14 February 1950 with a Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance. The Chinese leader Mao Zedong is holding a book entitled ‘Lenin’, a reference to the ‘father’ of the Russian Revolution of October 1917.
On 27 May 2005, seven European Union Member States (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain) sign a treaty in Prüm that aims to step up cross-border cooperation, particularly to combat terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal immigration. The Prüm Convention is also known as ‘Schengen III’. The photo, taken on 3 August 2010 in Ghisonaccia, Corsica, shows Italian and German police officers working with their French colleagues.
On 25 March 2001, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden join the Schengen area and gradually start to abolish their border controls. The photo shows two police officers opening a border post between Denmark and Germany.
On 26 October and 1 December 1997, Italy and Austria join the Schengen area and gradually start to abolish their border controls. The photo, taken at Leonardo da Vinci International Airport in Rome, shows duty border guards no longer checking the passports of passengers from member countries of the Schengen area.
On 21 December 2007, nine European Union Member States join the Schengen area: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Controls at their land and sea borders are abolished. The photo, taken in Trieste, shows thousands of people celebrating the opening of the borders between Italy and Slovenia.
