MZ in Cuba.
We do not immediately think of that. With Cuba we think of beaches, cheaply modeled, dancing young women, cigars and of course the old Americans who have been kept walking there for decades with every conceivable and unthinkable patchwork.
An 1200 cc Ladablock in an 54'er Chrysler? No problem!
Those American cars got there until "El Revolution!" Erupted in 1959.
Before Fidel took power, Cuba was a thoroughly corrupt island where American rich men wasted capital in the casinos and furthermore committed themselves to all sorts of ruthless behavior.
With the arrival of Fidel, that party was over and Cuba came under the influence of communism. And that again resulted in the arrival of Moscovitchen, Lada's, Jawa's and especially many MZ's.
Plus the 'Bay of Pigs' issue in 1961, which we all almost had a nuclear war about.
For many Cubans who fled to the USA, these MZs have become very nostalgic machines. They live and work in California and Florida, but they feel a certain sadness.
Apparently a good proportion of Cubans living in the USA fill that emptiness…. To purchase an MZ on the free market.
And then the animal company Gekra Motoren suddenly comes into the picture.
Gerrit Kranenburg has been trading in former government engines for decades. And when the Wall fell, he bought a batch of MZ parts at a barracks in the then-former GDR.
What he had never thought was that he would make Gelderse Dieren known to Cuban imigrants in the USA that way. Because since Gekra - recently - went online, the Cubans have found him.
Another fact: In Cuba it is considered very anti-social to blow your nose in public ...