Berlin Wall 20th Anniversary: Germany Celebrates Memory Of The Fall

Berlin Wall 20th Anniversary: Germany Celebrates Memory Of The Fall

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BERLIN — Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev crossed a former fortified border on Monday to cheers of "Gorby! Gorby!" as a throng of grateful Germans recalled the night 20 years ago that the Berlin Wall gave way to their desire for freedom and unity.

Within hours of a confused announcement on Nov. 9, 1989 that East Germany was lifting travel restrictions, hundreds of people streamed into the enclave that was West Berlin, marking a pivotal moment in the collapse of communism in Europe.

Merkel, who grew up in East Germany and was one of thousands to cros

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I felt it was important to note the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and what it meant for our world.

When the wall went up, it was not a wall at all but a barbed wire fence line which was later turned into two fences with a gap in the middle nicknamed the "death strip" where many would be escapees lost their lives. This led to more creative escape plans which I'm sure you at ATS will comment about.

We must remember the impact of two completely conflicting ideologies forced to live side by side. However those on the east side where literally forced.

Ladies and Gents let us remember the pivotal moment to the fall of communism in Europe.

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[edit on 9-11-2009 by DaMod]

Hi,

Thanks for posting this. I'm Australian but live in Berlin. Initially I couldn't tell any differences between ex East and West but having been here some time I'm afraid there is still a 'wall' there - certainly for the middle-aged and older generation Eastern Germans.

DDR (GDR) people in many cases feel threatened by the pace and competitveness of the western way - under communism there was little but it was assured. Also the freedom brought that terrible burden - choice and decison-making - somehting we all take for granted.

Conversely, the Western Germans feel aggreived that they have had to bail out the eastern Germans.

I read an article here saying 1 in 8 Germans would like the wall to go back up!

But it is amazing to stand mear the line that marks where the wall was and reflect that just 20 years ago I couldn't have crossed it.

Peace!

[edit on 9-11-2009 by The Wave]

reply to post by The Wave


I can remember the Berlin wall falling although I was only 5 years old. I remember seeing my family huddled around the television and I asked what was happening. They told me the wall fell but I really didn't understand what that meant at the time. I watched just the same.

So you actually live in Berlin? How much of the wall still remains?