21 eloquent photos about whether Cuba was truly a free country in 1954

Before the coup and the rise to power of Fidel Castro in 1959, Cuba was the most popular and sought-after holiday destination for non-poor American citizens. But then the Cold War began and the 60s marked the beginning of a long period of almost complete isolation of the Caribbean island from everything American - goods, products, information and, of course, tourists.

The famous photographer from Germany Heinrich Hydersberger managed to visit unforgettable Havana in 1954, then he sailed there on one of the cruise ships, which then regularly cruised to Liberty Island and transported here hundreds of Americans who wanted to drown in the pleasures and pleasures that sultry Cuba promised. Hydersberger worked on the ship, photographing U.S. citizens and honing his skills in a recent color photograph.

Note that these images were considered lost for several decades. Only in 2001 they again became available to the general public. Let’s take a look at how Cuba lived before the revolution, the embargo and the severance of relations with America. Was it freedom and true Caribbean sweet carelessness, or was it poverty and window dressing? Judge for yourself.