Somber, Hopeful Ceremonies Mark 25 Years Since The Berlin Wall Fell -- CNN
(CNN) -- Jumping out of buildings, running through barbed wire, flying makeshift planes and digging secret tunnels -- all desperate measures used by people to flee East Berlin after the wall went up.
Those images and memories flooded back into Germany's collective conscious on Sunday, as the nation celebrated 25 years since the Berlin Wall came tumbling down.
On November 9, 1989, tens of thousands of Germans literally tore it down by hand -- using their fists, pickaxes, sledgehammers and shovels.
Then East Germany's communist government helped, heaving away chunks of it by crane, as its citizens streamed into the West and its one-party oligarchy collapsed.
Read more ....
More News On Germany Marking The 25th Anniversary On The Fall Of The Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall Commemoration Events Under Way -- VOA
Germany cheers 25 years since Berlin Wall's fall -- The Local
Berlin celebrating 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall -- Deutsche Welle
Millions gather as Germany marks 25 years since Wall’s fall -- The Australian/AFP
8,000 Glowing Balloons Commemorate Fall of Berlin Wall -- ABC News
Germany marks anniversary of fall of the Berlin Wall -- USA Today
Germany Marks 25th Anniversary of Fall of Berlin Wall -- WSJ
Merkel honours Berlin Wall victims on 25th anniversary of its demise -- Euronews
Berlin Wall's fall 25 years ago an epic blow to tyranny: Merkel -- Reuters
Fall of the Berlin Wall: The guard who opened the gate – and made history -- The Independent
From the Monitor archives: Joy in Berlin as the Wall falls -- CSM
Nine surprising facts about the fall of the Berlin Wall -- USA Today
25th Anniversary of Berlin Wall’s Fall: Facts and History -- RIA Novosti
What Happened To The Berlin Wall? -- James Kirchick, Daily Beast
In photos: The Berlin Wall, before and after -- Global news
The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall in two short videos -- The Scroll
6 comments:
WNU,
I know you were in China, but I am curious of what your Russian colleague's reaction to the fall was, and also the Chinese that you were in contact with, what was their reaction?
The Chinese were focused on the aftermath of Tienanmen .... and while some were concerned on what was happening in eastern Europe .... but not overly so. The Chinese officials that I knew were definitely not afraid .... as far as they were concerned, the military and the security forces were loyal to the Central government, and they would not permit a revolution from happening.
As for what happened to me .... I was recalled back a month after the Berlin Wall fell. I was originally sent to China because I was a "trouble-maker" in the FO. The reason why was simple .... I was always erking everyone that Lech Wałęsa and the rise of Solidarnoz in Poland was not a one shot deal .... that it was inevitable that change must occur. Also .... I was always quoting Ronald Reagan, and why his words and his understanding of Communism was something that no one had a rebuttal against .... and why Moscow was losing the moral ground of being in eastern Europe. Fortunately .... I was not fired or dumped into some hell-hold .... I credit family connections for that .... but mind you .... being sent to China when everything was just about to boom in that country was probably the best career move to ever happen to me. The funny thing is that 25 years ago such an assignment was regarded as punishment .... today .... it is regarded in Moscow to be one of the top assignments to have.
But I digress .... when I came back .... my colleagues .... all of them were frozen with fear ... especially the older generation. They were shell-shocked that everything would crumble so quickly, and no one knew what to do. More to the point .... no one had the will to resist these changes. The young generation .... those of us who were in our twenties .... we were not afraid. We all expected this .... Russia's dissident movement, John Paul II, Ronald Reagan, Charter 97, Havel, Walesa .... the seeds were already planted ... what we did not know (and feared) was how bloody was this change going to be. Revolution in Romania, Yugoslavia's civil war ... the costs were high .... but it could have been far worse.
If these old men were not afraid .... and believed in the righteousness of their cause .... they would have sent in the tanks and hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers to clean it all up. But they were afraid .... and they had lost the will to defend a system that all of them knew was inherently corrupt and dysfunctional.
"The funny thing is that 25 years ago such an assignment was regarded as punishment .... today .... it is regarded in Moscow to be one of the top assignments to have."
Always make the best of where you are, you never know what the future holds.
"If these old men were not afraid .... and believed in the righteousness of their cause .... they would have sent in the tanks and hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers to clean it all up. But they were afraid .... and they had lost the will to defend a system that all of them knew was inherently corrupt and dysfunctional."
In the military it's called morale and in religion it's faith. Funny just how powerful it is and how without it there is nothing. Twenty Five years ago, if someone would have told you, that today you would live in Canada, drink some pretty good wine and converse with total strangers on subjects such as you do, would you have believed them?
LOL .... 25 years ago I wanted to live in California making wine. Yup ... life is very funny .... you turn around a corner and a whole new world and future opens up.
As for my China experience .... the contacts that I met and now their children are some of my closest friends. They have helped my family in Russia and Ukraine immeasurably .... and vice versa. Case in point .... a certain Chinese Vice-premier's son stayed at my home for a year while studying at McGill. Relationships and trust like that .... it is something that I am very proud of and value more than anything else.
James .... I have a few regrets .... and I know that I have made a lot of mistakes .... but overall .... it has been a good life, and one that is always changing. As to conversing with strangers .... that is an interesting journey, and I cannot adequately express the gratitude and thanks that I have for all that you and others have contributed to this forum. We learn something new everyday, and that is our reward.
But, would you have believed that person twenty five years ago?
God no!!!
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