| Part of theRevolutions of 1989 andGerman reunification | |
 Germans stand on top of the Wall in front of theBrandenburg Gate, before this section was torn down on 9 November 1989 in the hours before the West German leader walked through the Gate to greet his East German counterpart. | |
 | |
| Date | 9 November 1989; 36 years ago (1989-11-09) |
|---|---|
| Time | 18:53–19:01 (CET;UTC+1, press conference)[1] |
| Location | East Berlin,East Germany West Berlin,West Germany |
| Cause | Revolutions of 1989 |
Part ofa series on the |
|---|
| History ofBerlin |
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| Margraviate of Brandenburg(1157–1806) |
| Kingdom of Prussia(1701–1918) |
| German Empire(1871–1918) |
| Free State of Prussia(1918–1947) |
| Weimar Republic(1919–1933) |
| Nazi Germany(1933–1945) |
| West Germany andEast Germany(1945–1990) |
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| Federal Republic of Germany(1990–present) |
| See also |
TheBerlin Wall fell on9 November 1989 during thePeaceful Revolution, marking the beginning of the destruction of the figurativeIron Curtain, asEast Berlin transit restrictions were overwhelmed and discarded. Sections of the wall were breached, and planned deconstruction began the following June. It was one of the series of events that started thefall of communism inCentral and Eastern Europe. Thefall of the inner German border took place shortly afterward. An end to theCold War was declared at theMalta Summit in early December, andGerman reunification took place in October the following year.
The opening of theIron Curtain between Austria and Hungary at thePan-European Picnic on 19 August 1989 set in motion a peaceful chain reaction, at the end of which there was no longer anEast Germany and theEastern Bloc had disintegrated. After the picnic, which was based on an idea byOtto von Habsburg to test the reaction of theUSSR andMikhail Gorbachev to an opening of the border, tens of thousands of media-informed East Germans set off for Hungary.Erich Honecker dictated to theDaily Mirror for the Pan-European Picnic: "Habsburg distributed leaflets far into Poland, on which the East German holidaymakers were invited to a picnic. When they came to the picnic, they were given gifts, food andDeutsche Mark, and then they were persuaded to come to the West." The leadership of the GDR in East Berlin did not dare to completely block the borders of their own country and the USSR did not respond at all. Thus the bracket of the Eastern Bloc was broken.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
Following the summer of 1989, by early November refugees were finding their way toHungary via Czechoslovakia or via theWest German embassy in Prague. On 30 September, following negotiations with East Germany and the Soviet Union, the West GermanForeign MinisterHans-Dietrich Genscher went to the Prague embassy to personally inform the thousands of refugees that they were allowed to leave for West Germany. His speech from the embassy's balcony, which included the line,"Wir sind zu Ihnen gekommen, um Ihnen mitzuteilen, dass heute Ihre Ausreise..." ("We came to you, to let you know that today, your departure...") was met with loud cheers and jubilations. The next day, the first of the embassy refugees leftPrague forBavaria.[8][9]
The emigration was initially tolerated because of long-standing agreements with the communist Czechoslovak government, allowing free travel across their common border. However, this movement of people grew so large it caused difficulties for both countries. In addition, East Germany was struggling to meet loan payments on foreign borrowings;Egon Krenz sentAlexander Schalck-Golodkowski to unsuccessfully ask West Germany for a short-term loan to make interest payments.[10]: 344
The Berlin Wall was made up of two walls. Both walls were 4 metres tall and had a length of 155 kilometres. They were separated by a mined corridor called thedeath strip. This strip was heavily guarded and included 302 watchtowers (by 1989). Guards had authorisation to shoot people who attempted to go through this strip.[11][12]
On 18 October 1989, longtimeSocialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) leaderErich Honecker stepped down in favor of Krenz. Honecker had been seriously ill, and those looking to replace him were initially willing to wait for a "biological solution", but by October were convinced that the political and economic situation was too grave.[10]: 339 Honecker approved the choice, naming Krenz in his resignation speech,[13] and theVolkskammer duly elected him. Although Krenz promised reforms in his first public speech,[14] he was considered by the East German public to be following his predecessor's policies, and public protests demanding his resignation continued.[10]: 347 Despite promises of reform, public opposition to the regime continued to grow.
On 1 November, Krenz authorized the reopening of the border withCzechoslovakia, which had been sealed to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany.[15] On 4 November, theAlexanderplatz demonstration took place.[16]
On 6 November, the Interior Ministry published a draft of new travel regulations, which made cosmetic changes to Honecker-era rules, leaving the approval process opaque and maintaining uncertainty regarding access to foreign currency. The draft enraged ordinary citizens, and was denounced as "complete trash" byWest Berlin MayorWalter Momper.[17] Hundreds of refugees crowded onto the steps of the West German embassy in Prague, enraging the Czechoslovaks, who threatened to seal off the East German–Czechoslovak border.[18]
On 7 November, Krenz approved the resignation of Prime MinisterWilli Stoph and two-thirds of the Politburo; however, Krenz was unanimously re-elected as General Secretary by the Central Committee.[10]: 341
On 19 October, Krenz askedGerhard Lauter to draft a new travel policy.[19] Lauter was a formerPeople's Police officer. After rising rapidly through the ranks he had recently been promoted to a position with theInterior Ministry ("Home Office" / "Department of the Interior") as head of the department responsible for issuing passports and the registration of citizens.[20]
On 8 November, the East GermanPolitburo enacted a portion of the draft travel regulations addressing permanent emigration immediately. Initially, the Politburo planned to create a special border crossing nearSchirnding specifically for this emigration.[21] However,Interior Ministry officials andStasi bureaucrats charged with drafting the new text concluded the proposal was not feasible, and instead crafted new text relating to both emigration and temporary travel. The revised text stipulated East German citizens could apply for permission to travel abroad, without having to meet the previous requirements for those trips.[22] To ease the difficulties, the Krenz-led Politburo decided on 9 November refugees could exit directly through crossing points between East Germany and West Germany, including between East and West Berlin. Later the same day, the ministerial administration modified the proposal to include private, round-trip, travel. The new regulations would take effect the next day.[23]
| Text of the regulation | |
|---|---|
| Original German[24] | English translation[25] |
Zur Veränderung der Situation der ständigen Ausreise von DDR-Bürgern nach der BRD über die CSSR wird festgelegt: 1) Die Verordnung vom 30. November 1988 über Reisen von Bürgern der DDR in das Ausland (GBl. I Nr. 25 S. 271) findet bis zur Inkraftsetzung des neuen Reisegesetzes keine Anwendung mehr. 2) Ab sofort treten folgende zeitweilige Übergangsregelungen für Reisen und ständige Ausreisen aus der DDR in das Ausland in Kraft: a. Privatreisen nach dem Ausland können ohne Vorliegen von Voraussetzungen (Reiseanlässe und Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse) beantragt werden. Die Genehmigungen werden kurzfristig erteilt. Versagungsgründe werden nur in besonderen Ausnahmefällen angewandt. b. Die zuständigen Abteilungen Paß- und Meldewesen der VPKÄ in der DDR sind angewiesen, Visa zur ständigen Ausreise unverzüglich zu erteilen, ohne daß dafür noch geltende Voraussetzungen für eine ständige Ausreise vorliegen müssen. Die Antragstellung auf ständige Ausreise ist wie bisher auch bei den Abteilungen Innere Angelegenheiten möglich. c. Ständige Ausreisen können über alle Grenzübergangsstellen der DDR zur BRD bzw. zu Berlin (West) erfolgen. d. Damit entfällt die vorübergehend ermöglichte Erteilung von entsprechenden Genehmigungen in Auslandsvertretungen der DDR bzw. die ständige Ausreise mit dem Personalausweis der DDR über Drittstaaten. 3) Über die zeitweiligen Übergangsregelungen ist die beigefügte Pressemitteilung am 10. November 1989 zu veröffentlichen. | To change the situation with regard to the permanent exit of East German citizens to West Germany viaCzechoslovakia, it has been determined that: 1. The decree from 30 November 1988 about travel abroad of East German citizens will no longer be applied until the new travel law comes into force. 2. Starting immediately, the following temporary transition regulations for travel abroad and permanent exits from East Germany are in effect: a) Applications by private individuals for travel abroad can now be made without the previously existing requirements (of demonstrating a need to travel or proving familial relationships). The travel authorizations will be issued within a short period of time. Grounds for denial will only be applied in particularly exceptional cases. b) The responsible departments of passport and registration control in thePeople's Police district offices in East Germany are instructed to issue visas for permanent exit without delays and presentation of the existing requirements for permanent exit. It is still possible to apply for permanent exit in the departments for internal affairs [of the local district or city councils]. c) Permanent exits are possible via all East German border crossings to West Germany and (West) Berlin. d) The temporary practice of issuing (travel) authorizations through East German consulates and permanent exit with only an East German personal identity card via third countries ceases. 3. The attached press release explaining the temporary transition regulation will be issued on 10 November. |
| Press release | |
|---|---|
| Original German[24] | English translation[25] |
Verantwortlich: Regierungssprecher beim Ministerrat der DDR Berlin (ADN) Wie die Presseabteilung des Ministeriums des Innern mitteilt, hat der Ministerrat der DDR beschlossen, daß bis zum Inkrafttreten einer entsprechenden gesetzlichen Regelung durch die Volkskammer folgende zeitweilige Übergangsregelung für Reisen und ständige Ausreisen aus der DDR ins Ausland in Kraft gesetzt wird: 1. Privatreisen nach dem Ausland können ohne Vorliegen von Voraussetzungen (Reiseanlässe und Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse) beantragt werden. Die Genehmigungen werden kurzfristig erteilt. Versagungsgründe werden nur in besonderen Ausnahmefällen angewandt. 2. Die zuständigen Abteilungen Paß- und Meldewesen der VPKÄ in der DDR sind angewiesen, Visa zur ständigen Ausreise unverzüglich zu erteilen, ohne daß dafür noch geltende Voraussetzungen für eine ständige Ausreise vorliegen müssen. Die Antragstellung auf ständige Ausreise ist wie bisher auch bei den Abteilungen Innere Angelegenheiten möglich. 3. Ständige Ausreisen können über alle Grenzübergangsstellen der DDR zur BRD bzw. zu Berlin (West) erfolgen. 4. Damit entfällt die vorübergehend ermöglichte Erteilung von entsprechenden Genehmigungen in Auslandsvertretungen der DDR bzw. die ständige Ausreise mit dem Personalausweis der DDR über Drittstaaten. | Responsible: Government spokesman of East Germany; Council of Ministers Berlin (ADN) As the Press Office of the Ministry of the Interior has announced, the East German Council of Ministers has decided that the following temporary transition regulation for travel abroad and permanent exit from East Germany will be effective until a corresponding law is put into effect by theVolkskammer: 1) Applications by private individuals for travel abroad can now be made without the previously existing requirements (of demonstrating a need to travel or proving familial relationships). The travel authorizations will be issued within a short period of time. Grounds for denial will only be applied in particularly exceptional cases. 2) The responsible departments of passport and registration control in the People's Police district offices in East Germany are instructed to issue visas for permanent exit without delays and without presentation of the existing requirements for permanent exit. It is still possible to apply for permanent exit in the departments for internal affairs [of the local district or city councils]. 3) Permanent exits are possible via all East German border crossings to West Germany and (West) Berlin. 4) This decision revokes the temporary practice of issuing (travel) authorizations through East German consulates and permanent exit with only an East German personal identity card via third countries ceases. |
The announcement of the regulations which brought down the Wall took place at an hour-long press conference led byGünter Schabowski, the outgoing party leader in East Berlin and top party spokesman as Secretary for Information, beginning at 18:00 CET on 9 November and broadcast live onEast German television andradio. Schabowski was joined by Minister of Foreign TradeGerhard Beil andCentral Committee membersHelga Labs andManfred Banaschak.[1][10]: 352
Topics of the press conference included the results of votes at the Central Committee meeting, the surprising removal of SED Bezirk First SecretariesHans-Joachim Böhme andWerner Walde, the SED's electoral and press reform plans and the new travel regulations.
Schabowski had not been involved in the discussions about the new regulations and had not been fully updated.[26] Shortly before the press conference, he was handed a note from Krenz announcing the changes, but given no further instructions on how to handle the information. The text stipulated that East German citizens could apply for permission to travel abroad without having to meet the previous requirements for those trips, and also allowed for permanent emigration between all border crossings—including those between East and West Berlin.[22]
At 18:53, near the end of the press conference,ANSA'sRiccardo Ehrman asked if the draft travel law of 6 November was a mistake. Schabowski gave a confusing answer that asserted it was necessary because West Germany had exhausted its capacity to accept fleeing East Germans, then remembered the note he had been given and added that a new regulation had been drafted to allow permanent emigration at any border crossing. This caused a stir in the room; amid several questions at once, Schabowski expressed surprise that the reporters had not yet seen this regulation, and started reading from the note.[1] After this, a reporter, either Ehrman orBild-Zeitung reporter Peter Brinkmann, both of whom were sitting in the front row at the press conference,[27][28][29] asked when the regulations would take effect.[1] After a few seconds' hesitation, Schabowski replied, "As far as I know, it takes effect immediately, without delay" (German:Das tritt nach meiner Kenntnis ... ist das sofort ... unverzüglich).[30][31][10]: 352 This was an apparent assumption based on the note's opening paragraph; as Beil attempted to interject that it was up to theCouncil of Ministers to decide when it took effect, Schabowski proceeded to read this clause, which stated it was in effect until a law on the matter was passed by theVolkskammer. Crucially, a journalist then asked if the regulation also applied to the crossings toWest Berlin. Schabowski shrugged and read item 3 of the note, which confirmed that it did.[1][28]
After this exchange,Daniel Johnson ofThe Daily Telegraph asked what this law meant for the Berlin Wall. Schabowski sat frozen before giving a rambling statement about the Wall being tied to the larger disarmament question.[32][27] He then ended the press conference promptly at 19:00 as journalists hurried from the room.[28][1]
After the press conference, Schabowski sat for an interview withNBC News anchorTom Brokaw in which he repeated that East Germans would be able to emigrate through the border and the regulations would go into effect immediately.[33][34]
The news began spreading immediately: the West GermanDeutsche Presse-Agentur issued a bulletin at 19:04 which reported that East German citizens would be able to cross the inner German border "immediately". Excerpts from Schabowski's press conference were broadcast on West Germany's two main news programs that night—at 19:17 onZDF'sheute, which came on the air as the press conference was ending, and as the lead story at 20:00 onARD'sTagesschau. As ARD and ZDF had broadcast tonearly all of East Germany since the late 1950s, were far more widely viewed than the East German channels, and had become accepted by the East German authorities, this is how most of the population heard the news. Later that night, on ARD'sTagesthemen, anchormanHanns Joachim Friedrichs proclaimed, "This 9 November is a historic day. The GDR has announced that, starting immediately, its borders are open to everyone. The gates in the Wall stand open wide."[10]: 353 [26]
In 2009, Ehrman claimed that a member of the Central Committee had called him and urged him to ask about the travel law during the press conference, but Schabowski called that absurd.[29] Ehrman later recanted this statement in a 2014 interview with an Austrian journalist, admitting that the caller wasGünter Pötschke, head of the East German news agencyADN, and he only asked if Ehrman would attend the press conference.[35]
Despite the policy ofstate atheism in East Germany, Christian pastorChristian Führer had regularly met with his congregation atSt. Nicholas Church for prayer since 1982.[36][37] Over the next seven years the church's congregation grew, despite authorities' barricading the adjacent streets, and peaceful candlelit marches took place following its services.[36] The secret police issued death threats and even attacked some of the marchers, but the crowds still continued to gather.[36] On 9 October 1989, the police and army units were given permission to use force against those assembled, but this did not deter the church service and march from taking place, which gathered 70,000 people and in which not a single shot was fired.[36][37]
After hearing the 9 November broadcast, East Germans began gathering at the Wall, at thesix checkpoints between East and West Berlin, demanding thatborder guards immediately open the gates.[26] The surprised and overwhelmed guards made many hectic telephone calls to their superiors about the problem. At first, they were ordered to find the "more aggressive" people gathered at the gates and stamp their passports with a special stamp that barred them from returning to East Germany—in effect, revoking their citizenship. However, this still left thousands of people demanding to be let through "as Schabowski said we can".[10]: 353 It soon became clear that no one among the East German authorities would take personal responsibility for issuing orders to use lethal force, so the vastly outnumbered soldiers had no way to hold back the huge crowd of East German citizens.Mary Elise Sarotte in a 2009Washington Post story characterized the series of events leading to the fall of the Wall as an accident, saying "One of the most momentous events of the past century was, in fact, an accident, a semicomical and bureaucratic mistake that owes as much to the Western media as to the tides of history".[26]
Finally, at 22:45 (alternatively given as 23:30) on 9 November,Harald Jäger, commander of theBornholmer Straße border crossing, yielded, allowing guards to open the checkpoints and let people through with little or no identity-checking.[38][39] As theOssis swarmed through, they were greeted byWessis waiting with flowers and champagne amid wild rejoicing. Soon afterward, a crowd of West Berliners jumped on top of the Wall and were soon joined by East German youngsters.[40] The evening of 9 November 1989 is known as the night the Wall came down.[41]
Another border crossing to the south may have been opened earlier. An account byHeinz Schäfer indicates that he also acted independently and ordered the opening of the gate at Waltersdorf-Rudow a couple of hours earlier.[42] This may explain reports of East Berliners appearing in West Berlin earlier than the opening of the Bornholmer Straße border crossing.[42]
Removal of the Wall began on the evening of 9 November 1989 and continued over the following days and weeks, with people nicknamedMauerspechte (wallpeckers) using various tools to chip off souvenirs, demolishing lengthy parts in the process, and creating several unofficial border crossings.[43] In the season holidays this became a sort of international action. People from all over the western world went to West Berlin and local youth provided a range of appropriate demolition tools.
Television coverage of citizens demolishing sections of the Wall on 9 November was soon followed by the East German regime announcing ten newborder crossings, including the historically significant locations ofPotsdamer Platz,Glienicker Brücke, andBernauer Straße. Crowds gathered on both sides of the historic crossings waiting for hours to cheer the bulldozers that tore down portions of the Wall to reconnect the divided roads. While the Wall officially remained guarded at a decreasing intensity, new border crossings continued for some time. Initially theEast German Border Troops attempted repairing the damage done by the "wallpeckers"; gradually these attempts ceased, and guards became laxer, tolerating the increasing demolitions and "unauthorized" border crossing through the holes.[44]
TheBrandenburg Gate in the Berlin Wall was opened on 22 December 1989; on that date, West German ChancellorHelmut Kohl walked through the gate and was greeted by East German Prime MinisterHans Modrow.[45] West Germans and West Berliners were allowed visa-free travel starting 23 December.[44] Until then, they could only visit East Germany and East Berlin under restrictive conditions that involved application for a visa several days or weeks in advance and obligatory exchange of at least 25DM per day of their planned stay, all of which hindered spontaneous visits. Thus, in the weeks between 9 November and 23 December, East Germans could actually travel more freely than Westerners.[44]
On 13 June 1990, the East German Border Troops officially began dismantling the Wall,[46][47] beginning inBernauer Straße and around the Mitte district. From there, demolition continued through Prenzlauer Berg/Gesundbrunnen, Heiligensee and throughout the city of Berlin until December 1990. According to estimates by the border troops, a total of around 1.7 million tonnes of building rubble was produced by the demolition. Unofficially, the demolition of the Bornholmer Straße crossing began because of construction work on the railway. This involved a total of 300 GDR border guards and—after 3 October 1990—600 Pioneers of the Bundeswehr. These were equipped with 175 trucks, 65 cranes, 55 excavators and 13 bulldozers. Virtually every road that was severed by the Berlin Wall, every road that once linked from West Berlin to East Berlin, was reconstructed and reopened by 1 August 1990. In Berlin alone, 184 km (114 mi) of wall, 154 km (96 mi) border fence, 144 km (89 mi) signal systems and 87 km (54 mi) barrier ditches were removed. What remained were six sections that were to be preserved as a memorial. Various military units dismantled the Berlin/Brandenburg border wall, completing the job in November 1991. Painted wall segments with artistically valuable motifs were put up for auction in 1990 inBerlin andMonte Carlo.[44]
On 1 July 1990, the day East Germany adopted theWest German currency, allde jure border controls ceased, although the inter-German border had become meaningless for some time before that.[48] The demolition of the Wall was completed in 1994.[46]
The fall of the Wall marked the first critical step towardsGerman reunification, which formally concluded a mere 339 days later on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of East Germany and the official reunification of the German state along the democratic lines of the West GermanBasic Law.[43]
French PresidentFrançois Mitterrand and British Prime MinisterMargaret Thatcher both opposed the eventual reunification of Germany, fearing potential German designs on its neighbours using its increased strength. In September 1989, Margaret Thatcher privately confided toSoviet General SecretaryMikhail Gorbachev that she wanted the Soviet leader to do what he could to stop it.[49][50] Thatcher told Gorbachev:
We do not want a united Germany. This would lead to a change to postwar borders and we cannot allow that because such a development would undermine the stability of the whole international situation and could endanger our security.[49]
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mitterrand warned Thatcher that a unified Germany could make more ground thanAdolf Hitler ever had and that Europe would have to bear the consequences.[51]
On 21 November 1989,Crosby, Stills & Nash performed the song "Chippin' Away" fromGraham Nash's 1986 solo albumInnocent Eyes in front of the Brandenburg Gate.[52]
On 25 December 1989,Leonard Bernstein gave a concert in Berlin celebrating the end of the Wall, includingBeethoven's9th symphony (Ode to Joy) with the word "Joy"(Freude) changed to "Freedom"(Freiheit) in the lyrics sung. The poetSchiller may have originally written "Freedom" and changed it to "Joy" out of fear. The orchestra and choir were drawn from both East and West Germany, as well as the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.[53] On New Year's Eve 1989,David Hasselhoff performed his song "Looking for Freedom" while standing atop the partly demolished Wall in front of 200,000 people.[54]Roger Watersperformed thePink Floyd albumThe Wall just north ofPotsdamer Platz on 21 July 1990, with guests includingScorpions,Bryan Adams,Sinéad O'Connor,Cyndi Lauper,Thomas Dolby,Joni Mitchell,Marianne Faithfull,Levon Helm,Rick Danko andVan Morrison.[55]
Over the years, there has been a repeated controversial debate[56] as to whether9 November would make a suitable German national holiday, often initiated by former members of political opposition in East Germany, such asWerner Schulz.[57] Besides being the emotional apogee of East Germany's peaceful revolution, 9 November is also the date of the 1918 abdication of KaiserWilhelm II and declaration of theWeimar Republic, the first German republic. However, 9 November is also the anniversary of the execution ofRobert Blum following the1848 Vienna revolts, the 1923Beer Hall Putsch and the infamousKristallnachtpogroms of the Nazis in 1938.Nobel LaureateElie Wiesel criticised the first euphoria, noting that "they forgot that 9 November has already entered into history—51 years earlier it marked the Kristallnacht."[58] As reunification was not official and complete until 3 October (1990), that day was finally chosen asGerman Unity Day.
On 9 November 1999, the 10th anniversary was observed with a concert and fireworks at theBrandenburg Gate. Russian cellistMstislav Rostropovich played music byJohann Sebastian Bach, while German rock bandScorpions performed their 1990 songWind of Change. Wreaths were placed for victims shot down when theyattempted to escape to the west, and politicians delivered speeches.[59][60]
On 9 November 2009, Berlin celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a "Festival of Freedom" with dignitaries from around the world in attendance for an evening celebration around the Brandenburg Gate. A high point was when over 1,000 colourfully designed foam domino tiles, each over 8 feet (2.4 m) tall, that were stacked along the former route of the Wall in the city center were toppled in stages, converging in front of the Brandenburg Gate.[61]
A Berlin Twitter Wall was set up to allow Twitter users to post messages commemorating the 20th anniversary. TheChinese government quickly shut down access to the Twitter Wall after internet users in China began using it to protest theGreat Firewall.[62][63][64]
In the United States, the German Embassy coordinated a public diplomacy campaign with the motto "Freedom Without Walls", to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The campaign was focused on promoting awareness of the fall of the Berlin Wall among current college students. Students at over 30 universities participated in "Freedom Without Walls" events in late 2009. First place winner of the Freedom Without Walls Speaking Contest[65] Robert Cannon received a free trip to Berlin for 2010.[66]
An international project calledMauerreise (Journey of the Wall) took place in various countries. Twenty symbolic Wall bricks were sent from Berlin starting in May 2009, with the destinations being Korea, Cyprus, Yemen, and other places where everyday life is characterised by division and border experience. In these places, the bricks would become a blank canvas for artists, intellectuals and young people to tackle the "Wall" phenomenon.[67]
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the 3D online virtual worldTwinity reconstructed a true-to-scale section of the Wall in virtual Berlin.[68] TheMTV Europe Music Awards, on 5 November, hadU2 andTokio Hotel perform songs dedicated to and about the Berlin Wall. U2 performed at the Brandenburg Gate, and Tokio Hotel performed "World Behind My Wall".
Palestinians in the town ofKalandia,West Bank, pulled down parts of theIsraeli West Bank barrier, in a demonstration marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.[69]
TheInternational Spy Museum in Washington D.C., hosted aTrabant car rally where 20 Trabants gathered in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Rides were raffled every half-hour and a Trabant crashed through a Berlin Wall mock up. The Trabant was the East German people's car that many used to leave DDR after the collapse.[70][71]
TheAllied Museum in theDahlem district of Berlin hosted a number of events to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The museum held a Special Exhibition entitled "Wall Patrol – The Western Powers and the Berlin Wall 1961–1990" which focused on the daily patrols deployed by the Western powers to observe the situation along the Berlin Wall and the fortifications on theGDRborder.[72] A sheet of "Americans in Berlin" CommemorativeCinderella stamps designed byT.H.E. Hill was presented to the Museum by David Guerra, Berlin veteran and webmaster of the sitewww.berlinbrigade.com.[73]
Berlin planned a week-long arts festival from 4 to 10 November 2019 and a citywide music festival on 9 November to celebrate the 30th anniversary.[74][75] On 4 November, outdoor exhibits opened at Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate, the East Side Gallery, Gethsemane Church, Kurfürstendamm, Schlossplatz, and the former Stasi headquarters in Lichtenberg.[75]
A small minority still support the wall or even support rebuilding the wall back up. In 2008 a poll found that 11% of participants from the former West Berlin and 12% from the former East Berlin said it would be better if the wall was still in place.[76]
A November 2009 poll found that 12% of Germans said the wall should be rebuilt. The poll also found that in the formerWest German states support was at 12% and in the formerEast German states it was 13%. A September 2009 poll found 15% of Germans supported a wall, while in the west it was 16% and in the east it was at 10%.[77][78]
A 2010 poll from Emnid forBild, found that 24% of West Germans and 23% of East Germans wished for the wall still being in place.[79][80][81][82]
A 2011 poll fromBerliner Zeitung on the 30th anniversary, found that 8% of Berliners supported the idea if the wall was still standing, The overwhelming majority of Berliners at 87% however supported the fall of the wall. The poll also found that 28% of theAlternative for Germany (AfD) and 16% ofFree Democratic Party (FDP) supporters supported bringing back the wall.[83] A 2019 Yougov poll found that 13% of Germans wanted the wall back, in the West support was at 14% and in the East it was 13%.[84]
A 2019 poll fromForsa found 35% of Berliners thought the construction of the Wall was not so wrong with supporters of theleft party Die Linke at 74%.[85]
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