Across the Borders
Road connection to Germany improved
Just for almost two decades the biggest part of Europe can be reached easily and quickly without border delays by using the Euroroute network.
As stated in the second story, only the higher levels of the population started to drive a car across borders. Therefore the customs staff could easily manage the amount of traffic which would cross the borders.1
After the Second World War, it was more common for all levels of the population to own a car2 and use these cars to cross borders and visit other countries3. At these borders the amount of traffic increased very fast and the roads were too narrow, which resulted in a bad traffic flow.4
With the start of the built of the Euroroute network in the 1950’s5 the roads which crossed the borders had a much higher throughput as can be seen in the movie.4 Unfortunately, Europe was still divided in a lot of different states and could not be seen as one European state due to the strict border controls.4
Nowadays 26 countries have accepted the Schengen Agreement6, which means that crossing borders between the participating countries without being checked at the border. Since this agreement, the Euroroute network contributes to one, European state.6,7
How to cite this page
'Across the Borders', Inventing Europe, http://www.inventingeurope.eu/story/across-the-borders
Sources
1. Geheugen van Nederland – “Bordercrossing near Maastricht in 1926”
Created: 1926
http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/en/items/SFA03:SFA022829181
Accessed: 5th of December 2013
To get an idea about the border crossings during the first half of the 20th century, the source above is used.
This source is found by using Europeana.
2. CBS, Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek
Willem Heijnen – “De auto-industrie”
http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/C12D3842-FE93-484B-8B94-ED3A71E06F6F/0/im0100.pdf, page 1
Accessed: 4th of December 2013
This source is used to get information about the grow of the production of cars. It can be seen the production starts to increase rapidly in the 1950’s.
3. Rijkswaterstaat – “75 Jaar Snelweg in Vogelvlucht”
http://www.rijkswaterstaat.nl/images/75%20jaar%20snelweg%20in%20vogelvlucht_tcm174-318301.pdf, page 3
Accessed: 4th of December 2013
The source above is used for getting information about the use of the cars in the 1950’s. It shows that most of the users use their cars for recreation.
4.Open Beelden – “Wegverbinding met Duitsland verbeterd”
Created: 11th of April 1962
http://www.openbeelden.nl/media/54527
Accessed: 4th of December 2013
The source ‘Open Beelden’ is used to get information about the roads which crossed the borders before the introduction of the Euroroute network and after this introduction.
This source is found by using Europeana.
5.CEDR – Conférence Européenne des Directeurs des Routes
Lars Bergman of the Swedish National Road Administration – “Future European Road Network (FERN)”
http://www.cedr.fr/home/fileadmin/user_upload/Publications/2009/e_Future_road_networks_FERN.pdf, page 17
Accessed: 4th of December 2013
The source above is used to receive the appropriate information about the beginning of the Euroroute network.
6. University College Cork, Ireland
Schengen Agreement 19th of June 1990
http://www.ucc.ie/social_policy/Shengen-agreement_io.pdf, page 79
Accessed: 5th of December 2013
This document of the Schengen Agreement is used to figure out what the agreement is and means.
7. Rijksoverheid – “Wat zijn Schengenlanden?”
http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/europese-unie/vraag-en-antwoord/wat-zijn-schengenlanden.html
Accessed: 5th of December 2013
I used this source to obtain more information about the Schengen Agreement.
