Monday, November 9, 2009

The Berlin Wall: then and now

Today is a big deal kind of day here in Germany. It marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Regardless of how and when this all exactly came about, today is the day of celebration.

Here's a look at the first border crossing to open - watch how things change in less than 9 minutes. Realize that you are literally watching people walk into freedom. If you understand German, it's even better because the translation, while fair, misses a lot of things.




Where were you when you heard the wall was down?

(my answer's in the comments)

5 comments :

Juliette said...

I remember being 11 (really, only 11??) and in the 6th grade and my dad yelling for us all to come see what was on the TV. I remember my sister and I being told to sit down and watch history in the making. I remember watching armed guards going down watchtower stairs.

This memory was recalled as one year later I signed up for my first German class in 7th grade and did a report on the Berlin Wall. Yes, I started learning German before the spelling reform, and yes, it still causes me problems to this day!

2 years later in 1991, at 13, I was in Berlin, standing before giant slabs of the Berlin wall. My sister and I dug through boxes of rubble that had just been picked off a slab of the Wall, and my dad passed a few Deutschmarks over to a guy sitting on a stool. I then had in my possession my own piece of Berlin wall.

Monika said...

Hello Juliette, I was 11, too. And to tell you the truth it took me a couple of years to understand what really happened. During those 9 minutes the history of Europe changed forever...
I have never been to Berlin, but I hope that I can visit soon.

jane said...

it´s amazing how emotional it is, even 20 years later.

cliff1976 said...

Thanks for posting that video — I really enjoyed it.

You're right about the translation not quite hitting the mark a lot of the time. The subtitles that were covered up were even worse.

likeschocolate said...

That is so cool! It seems just like yesterday! It is amazing how time does fly.

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