On the night of November 9, 1989 confused East German border guards opened several checkpoints in East Berlin and allowed citizens of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) free passage into West Berlin for the first time since 1961. The East Germans were ecstatic; world-wide response was both joyful and incredulous. And on the following day... November 10th... the wall began coming down in earnest and the partying lasted for days. Some background:
To say the fall of the Berlin Wall was a momentous occasion is massive understatement. I watched my teevee in a combination of amazement and wonder, thinking to myself that I never thought I would see the day... yet there it was, big as life and twice as natural.
I like to think this event... which happened about two years earlier in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate... had something to do with the wall coming down:
Opinions vary on this subject, but I believe President Reagan was a catalyst in bringing the wall down. President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher... along with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev... were the primary actors responsible for the demise of the Soviet Union, as well... an event that occurred a little over two years after the Berlin Wall came down.
It all began 20 years ago tonight... and this date marks an anniversary that should be celebrated by free peoples everywhere.
To say the fall of the Berlin Wall was a momentous occasion is massive understatement. I watched my teevee in a combination of amazement and wonder, thinking to myself that I never thought I would see the day... yet there it was, big as life and twice as natural.
I like to think this event... which happened about two years earlier in the shadow of the Brandenburg Gate... had something to do with the wall coming down:
Opinions vary on this subject, but I believe President Reagan was a catalyst in bringing the wall down. President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher... along with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev... were the primary actors responsible for the demise of the Soviet Union, as well... an event that occurred a little over two years after the Berlin Wall came down.
It all began 20 years ago tonight... and this date marks an anniversary that should be celebrated by free peoples everywhere.
Thanks for sharing "The Fall of the Berlin Wall" documentary. It was an amazing time in history. I told Jesse to be sure to watch the video - a nice history lesson in less than 6 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI remember being in Berlin with my parents when I was about 9 or 10 and seeing the wall. I couldn't wrap my brought-up-in-America-and-free-to-travel head around the fact that there were people on the other side who were not allowed out. I imagined that I would not stand for such a thing and would rather die. Of course, life is more complicated when you're on the wrong side of such a wall.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it was an amazing thing to see it come down. AND, you'll be pleased to know, I had an opportunity to piss on a piece of it :-) At a casino in Las Vegas (I think it's Main Street Station, downtown, but don't hold me to that) they put a piece of the Berlin Wall in their men's room and, yes, you're invited to piss on it. One of the true joys of life, that was.
Lou: I looked at quite a bit of video last evening trying to decide what fit the occasion. I'm glad you like my selection... coz there were a LOT of choices!
ReplyDeleteJim: I have a small piece of the wall in a little baggie. It's the only piece of touristy schlock I own. But I've never pissed on it, tho. ;-)
I firmly believe that RR was the driving force behind the fall of the Berlin Wall, and, on a larger scale, the Soviet Union.
ReplyDeleteWith that said, I sometimes yearn for the good old days of the Cold War. For all it's problems, things were more black and white. And it was safe to say that the USA & the USSR were smart enough to never use The Bomb against one another.
I hope everyone got to see the fall of the dominos today - really emotional for everyone there!
ReplyDeleteAmazing time!
BR sez: I sometimes yearn for the good old days of the Cold War.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. You're right about the black and white nature of the conflict and the fact the Reds were rational about nukes. Not so with our enemies today!
Cynthia: I DID watch the dominoes fall... that was pretty cool!
ReplyDelete