Leu und Lev: Gleicher Name, unterschiedliche nationale Welten der Banknoten zweier südosteuropäischer Länder
Leu and Lev: Same Name, Different National Worlds of the Banknotes of two Southeast European Countries

Summary/Abstract: Money does not only have an economic significance, but also a symbolic one. The paper money circulating in Europe from the 19th century on makes this clear. In the following article, a look is to be taken at a cultural-scientific aspect of the significance of money, especially as precisely the cultural connotation of the banknotes of the comparatively young states of Southeast Europe cannot be disregarded. In particular, the iconography of the banknotes in Bulgaria and Romania is followed in an overview from the first appearance of paper money at the end of the nineteenth century until after the political upheaval in 1989/90. A comparison emphasises the role of national symbolism, whereby striking differences in the portrayals on the banknotes of both countries can certainly also be observed. The clear concentration on the respective own national aspect points finally to the opportunity that lies in the Euro banknotes that are explicitly not based on national symbols.

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