What memories do you have of the last years of the USSR?

From your Terminale classes, you certainly remember the terms “perestroika” and “glasnost” associated with the name of Mikhail Gorbachev.

In power between 1983 and 1991, the last leader of the USSR was the one who began to liberalize the Soviet system, before being forced to resign, two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, which led to the end of the USSR.

Since the announcement of his death on Tuesday, at the age of 91, tributes have poured in from me from Western leaders, who hail his commitment to bringing East and West closer together.

Mikhail Gorbachev also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 for having worked for the end of the Cold War.

In Russia, on the other hand, he remains for many the gravedigger of the Soviet regime,

What image did you have of Gorbachev?

What memories do you have of the last years of the Soviet regime, when Gorbachev was in power?

How did you experience this liberalization of the Soviet regime and the beginning of the rapprochement between East and West?

Were you able to go to the USSR or to an Eastern European country during this period?

If so, tell us about your trip.

You can testify by filling out the form below.

• World

• Mikhail Gorbachev

• Russia

• USSR