Berlin celebrates fall of wall

**Güven** · **Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

Berlin celebrates fall of wall

More than 100 people were killed at the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989 while trying to escape [EPA]

World leaders have gathered in Germany's capital to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, beginning the day's events with a prayer service.

Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor and Horst Koehler, the country's president, joined a congregation at a former East Berlin church, where pro-democracy rallies were held in 1989.

"We remember the tears of joy, the faces of delight, the liberation," Lutheran Bishop Wolfgang Huber said at the Gethsemane Church.

But Merkel, who grew up in communist East Germany, used the opportunity to raise concerns about the work still to be done, saying "German unity is still incomplete".

"We must tackle this problem if we want to achieve equal quality of life [in east and west]," she told ARD public television on Monday.

Special report
Following the ceremony Merkel and Mikhail Gorbachev, the ex-Soviet leader, walked through the Bornholmer Strasse crossing - a former border where hundreds of East Germans rushed past 20 years ago.

Merkel, who grew up in East Germany and was one of thousands to cross that night, recalled that "before the joy of freedom came, many people suffered."

She told Gobrachev, who is known for his role in pushing reform in the Soviet Union, that "we always knew that something had to happen there so that more could change here".

"You made this possible - you courageously let things happen, and that was much more than we could expect," she said.

Colourful events

Thousands of people have poured into the capital to mark the anniversary of the event on November 9, 1989, which led to the reunification of Germany and paved the way for the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Merkel will be joined throughout the day by pivotal figures from the era that ushered in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe as commemorative events around the once-divided city continue throughout Monday.

They include Lech Walesa, who led anti-communist protests in Poland as the head of the Solidarity trade union, and
former dissidents.

Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, Dmitry Medvedev, his Russian counterpart, and Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, will also attend - representing the four nations which occupied post-war Germany.

The day's celebrations will include the toppling of 1,000 giant, brightly coloured dominoes along a 1.5km-stretch of the wall's original path, to symbolise how communist governments in the Eastern Bloc fell one after another in 1989.

Memorials are also planned to the 136 people killed trying to cross the
border, and a concert featuring performances from Bon Jovi and the Staats kapelle orchestra are expected later on Monday.

Merkel, who was working as a scientific researcher in East Berlin 20 years ago, has called the fall of the Wall "the happiest day in recent Germany history".

Al Jazeera's David Chater, reporting from Berlin, said there was a real sense of celebration in the air.

"But it is nothing like that feeling on the streets on that day in particular, because it marked the end of communism itself."

Sore point

But for some German residents, the 1990 reunification of the country remains a sore point.

A poll of more than 1,000 Germans carried out for the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper showed one in eight wanted the wall rebuilt - with the numbers nearly equal in the eastern and western parts of the now-unified country.

Shaken by the mass flight of its citizens into capitalist West Berlin, East Germany began erecting its "anti-fascist protection barrier" in the early hours of August 13, 1961.

According to a study published this year, at least 136 people were killed at the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989 while trying to escape.

However, thousands managed to evade the minefields, dogs and guards in watchtowers, using schemes including tunnels, aerial wires and hidden compartments in cars in order to make it to the West.

Source(Al-Jazeera)

glo · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

A friend and I drove for hours into Berlin one day in 1989 to observe people chipping small bits off the Wall for souvenirs. That was only weeks before the wall officially fell - but already there was a atmosphere of hope and expectancy.

For my generation, who had never known a Germany without the division, it almost seemed impossible to believe that it could be done ...

As it happened the reunification wasn't without it's difficulties and disappointments, but it was a great moment nonetheless - and it marked the end of the Cold War!

Amadeus85 · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

Lech Wałęsa moved the first domino ;0

**Güven** · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus85

Lech Wałęsa moved the first domino ;0

Don't know why they choose him, though.

In my opinion, he didn't play a big role and it looks like he wants the honor to himself.

Amadeus85 · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Güven

Don't know why they choose him, though.

In my opinion, he didn't play a big role and it looks like he wants the honor to himself.

Ha, breh, its nice that You know him at all.

But seriously, our biggest polish star, after John Paul II, good old wicked Lech played important role in Solidarity movement in 70's and 80's which began the change in Soviet Bloc in central Europe.

**Güven** · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-09-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadeus85

Ha, breh, its nice that You know him at all.

But seriously, our biggest polish star, after John Paul II, good old wicked Lech played important role in Solidarity movement in 70's and 80's which began the change in Soviet Bloc in central Europe.

a little history lesson I got.

The key figures who played a bigger role were John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and Gorbatsjov.

Lech says that 50% is thanks to John Paul II and 30% for his solidarity movement and less than 20% is thanks to the rest of the world who has helped the fall of the wall.

hmm 30% is a little too much for me.

Amadeus85 · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-10-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Güven

a little history lesson I got.

The key figures who played a bigger role were John Paul II, Ronald Reagan and Gorbatsjov.

Lech says that 50% is thanks to John Paul II and 30% for his solidarity movement and less than 20% is thanks to the rest of the world who has helped the fall of the wall.

hmm 30% is a little too much for me.

Lech the superstar Yo!

I think that its hard to measure it in percentage. I dont want to talk now like ultra patriot, but rather like a historician. The fact that in best moments Solidarity had 7 million members, mostly workers, it was pretty destructive to communists mentality here. The fact that such huge organization was independent in an almost totalitarian country, and that it was anti - communistic worker movement it also did count. The whole myth of communism liberating workers crashed with reality then. I can also add that Solidarity was I guess the only such mass and nationwide movement in Soviet Bloc those times. But again, its impossible to count their influence by percentage, and Lech's ego is bigger than his intelect no doubt.

ardianto · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by glo

A friend and I drove for hours into Berlin one day in 1989 to observe people chipping small bits off the Wall for souvenirs.[/B] That was only weeks before the wall officially fell - but already there was a atmosphere of hope and expectancy.

Pieces of Berlin Wall was an unique export commodity from Germany. It sold in my country.

Quote:

For my generation, who had never known a Germany without the division, it almost seemed impossible to believe that it could be done ...

They will not believe if we tell them about difference between life in West and East Germany. I never visited this wall but I still remember some photos of this wall. Full of colorful graffiti on one side and full of barbed wire on another side.
Alhamdulillah, no more Berlin Wall, no more Checkpoint Charlie, no more Stasi.

Quote:

As it happened the reunification wasn't without it's difficulties and disappointments, but it was a great moment nonetheless - and it marked the end of the Cold War!

Reunification ?. I think the right word is 'Liquidation of East Germany'.

Gator · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardianto

Reunification ?. I think the right word is 'Liquidation of East Germany'.

Reunification is straight up the right word.

OurIslamic · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

It's good that the wall fell.

OurIslamic · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Who knows how bad the situation would have been now if the wall was still up.

ardianto · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gator

Reunification is straight up the right word.

I know Liquidation is not the right word. But in fact, after reunification West was too dominant. In example, in Bundesliga 91-92, only two football team from East Germany that can participated in competition, 18 others were ex-West Germany.

ardianto · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Before the fall of Berlin Wall.
In Hollywood movies, heroes were Americans, terrorists were communists.

After the fall of Berlin Wall.
In Hollywood movies, heroes are Americans, terrorists are Muslims.

Gator · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-11-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardianto

I know Liquidation is not the right word. But in fact, after reunification West was too dominant. In example, in Bundesliga 91-92, only two football team from East Germany that can participated in competition, 18 others were ex-West Germany.

Good point.

extra characters so I can post.

Amadeus85 · **Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall -** 11-12-2009

We, Poles, are very happy that our centuries old ... ermmm... friends are well and united.

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	(#1 (permalink))
Güven Mada Mada Dane Status: Offline Posts: 5,582 Reputation: 57324 Rep Power: 87 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: WeSt3rN EuR0pE Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Berlin celebrates fall of wall - 11-09-2009 Berlin celebrates fall of wall More than 100 people were killed at the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989 while trying to escape [EPA] World leaders have gathered in Germany's capital to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, beginning the day's events with a prayer service. Angela Merkel, Germany's chancellor and Horst Koehler, the country's president, joined a congregation at a former East Berlin church, where pro-democracy rallies were held in 1989. "We remember the tears of joy, the faces of delight, the liberation," Lutheran Bishop Wolfgang Huber said at the Gethsemane Church. But Merkel, who grew up in communist East Germany, used the opportunity to raise concerns about the work still to be done, saying "German unity is still incomplete". "We must tackle this problem if we want to achieve equal quality of life [in east and west]," she told ARD public television on Monday. Special report Following the ceremony Merkel and Mikhail Gorbachev, the ex-Soviet leader, walked through the Bornholmer Strasse crossing - a former border where hundreds of East Germans rushed past 20 years ago. Merkel, who grew up in East Germany and was one of thousands to cross that night, recalled that "before the joy of freedom came, many people suffered." She told Gobrachev, who is known for his role in pushing reform in the Soviet Union, that "we always knew that something had to happen there so that more could change here". "You made this possible - you courageously let things happen, and that was much more than we could expect," she said. Colourful events Thousands of people have poured into the capital to mark the anniversary of the event on November 9, 1989, which led to the reunification of Germany and paved the way for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Merkel will be joined throughout the day by pivotal figures from the era that ushered in the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe as commemorative events around the once-divided city continue throughout Monday. They include Lech Walesa, who led anti-communist protests in Poland as the head of the Solidarity trade union, and former dissidents. Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, Dmitry Medvedev, his Russian counterpart, and Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, will also attend - representing the four nations which occupied post-war Germany. The day's celebrations will include the toppling of 1,000 giant, brightly coloured dominoes along a 1.5km-stretch of the wall's original path, to symbolise how communist governments in the Eastern Bloc fell one after another in 1989. Memorials are also planned to the 136 people killed trying to cross the border, and a concert featuring performances from Bon Jovi and the Staats kapelle orchestra are expected later on Monday. Merkel, who was working as a scientific researcher in East Berlin 20 years ago, has called the fall of the Wall "the happiest day in recent Germany history". Al Jazeera's David Chater, reporting from Berlin, said there was a real sense of celebration in the air. "But it is nothing like that feeling on the streets on that day in particular, because it marked the end of communism itself." Sore point But for some German residents, the 1990 reunification of the country remains a sore point. A poll of more than 1,000 Germans carried out for the Leipziger Volkszeitung newspaper showed one in eight wanted the wall rebuilt - with the numbers nearly equal in the eastern and western parts of the now-unified country. Shaken by the mass flight of its citizens into capitalist West Berlin, East Germany began erecting its "anti-fascist protection barrier" in the early hours of August 13, 1961. According to a study published this year, at least 136 people were killed at the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989 while trying to escape. However, thousands managed to evade the minefields, dogs and guards in watchtowers, using schemes including tunnels, aerial wires and hidden compartments in cars in order to make it to the West. Source(Al-Jazeera) __________________ " So which of the favours of your Lord would you deny?"

	(#2 (permalink))
glo Hier stehe ich Status: Offline Posts: 5,781 Reputation: 39693 Rep Power: 78 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: England Gender: Way of Life: Christian	Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall - 11-09-2009 A friend and I drove for hours into Berlin one day in 1989 to observe people chipping small bits off the Wall for souvenirs. That was only weeks before the wall officially fell - but already there was a atmosphere of hope and expectancy. For my generation, who had never known a Germany without the division, it almost seemed impossible to believe that it could be done ... As it happened the reunification wasn't without it's difficulties and disappointments, but it was a great moment nonetheless - and it marked the end of the Cold War! __________________ Peace glo "Peace I leave with you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." "Lakum deenukum waliya deen"

	(#3 (permalink))
Amadeus85 IB Oldtimer Status: Offline Posts: 2,148 Reputation: 6384 Rep Power: 27 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Valle de los Caidos Gender: Way of Life: Christian	Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall - 11-09-2009 Lech Wałęsa moved the first domino ;0 __________________ Don't test the Pole! "God and Truth can't be discussed. Homeland and its history can't be discussed. Authority and its prestige can't be discussed. Family and its values can't be discussed. The glory of work and its necessary can't be discussed." António de Oliveira Salazar

	(#13 (permalink))
ardianto IB Oldtimer Status: Offline Posts: 1,285 Reputation: 5606 Rep Power: 15 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Indonesia Gender: Way of Life: Muslim	Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall - 11-11-2009 Before the fall of Berlin Wall. In Hollywood movies, heroes were Americans, terrorists were communists. After the fall of Berlin Wall. In Hollywood movies, heroes are Americans, terrorists are Muslims.

	(#15 (permalink))
Amadeus85 IB Oldtimer Status: Offline Posts: 2,148 Reputation: 6384 Rep Power: 27 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Valle de los Caidos Gender: Way of Life: Christian	Re: Berlin celebrates fall of wall - 11-12-2009 We, Poles, are very happy that our centuries old ... ermmm... friends are well and united. __________________ Don't test the Pole! "God and Truth can't be discussed. Homeland and its history can't be discussed. Authority and its prestige can't be discussed. Family and its values can't be discussed. The glory of work and its necessary can't be discussed." António de Oliveira Salazar