Life in Europe in the late 1950s was shaped by post-war recovery, economic growth, and the Cold War divide.
In Western Europe, living standards were rising, and people were benefiting from the Marshall Plan and the formation of the EEC (European Economic Community). There was a boom in consumer goods, suburbanization, and the rise of popular culture, including rock ‘n’ roll and cinema.
In Eastern Europe, life was dominated by Soviet-style communism, with strict government control, limited freedoms, and a focus on industrialization. People were adjusting to the effects of the war, while the younger generation began to push for social change and greater freedom, especially in the West.
These beautiful photos from David McKelvey that show a European trip of a family in 1958.
Austria. Picnic lunch beside the road, 1958
France. Boys on the beach, St Raphael, 1958
France. Moulin Rouge, Boulevard de Clichy, Paris, 1958
France. St Raphael, 1958
Italy. Azaleas on the Spanish Steps (Scalinata di Trinità dei Monti), Rome, 1958
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