Paper short abstract:

The paper is based on fieldwork which was done in the Hungarian-Slovenian borderland. It would like to analyse how the „Iron Curtain” appears as a symbol in the context of rituals and how the pieces of fence are used for constructing monuments in the borderland between Hungary and Slovenia nowadays?

Paper long abstract:

During the last 50-60 years the former Hungarian-Yugoslavian state border's permeability have been changing many times because of different political factors. After the Second World War the physical border was "strengthened" by barbered wire fence and barrage, so it was possible to cross it only through official border stations. After the collapse of Communism different types of monuments were appeared closed to the borders. When both countries, Hungary and Slovenia became the member of the European Union, celebrations were organized which involved symbolic meeting of the communities from both side of the border. The paper would like to analyse how the "Iron Curtain" appears as a symbol in the context of rituals and how the pieces of fence are used for constructing monuments in the borderland between Hungary and Slovenia nowadays? What kind of motivations are in the background from the perspect of communities? How the memory of the "Iron Curtain" is constructed in this territory?