International News Articles: Merkel: the fall of the wall would be impossible without the events in Poland

Photo: PAP / EPA | Video: Reuters Merkel at the celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall

– A Peaceful Revolution in the GDR, which in the autumn of 1989 led to the fall of the Berlin Wall, would be impossible without the prior events in Poland and other countries of Central and Eastern Europe – said on Sunday, Chancellor Angela Merkel. In Berlin last central celebration of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which for the autumn of 1989 divided the city into two parts belonging to opposing political blocs and military.

A commitment to …

Merkel and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit stick white roses in the gap between the concrete slabs of the preserved fragment of border installations on the street Bernauer Strasse, which is now part of the Berlin Wall Memorial.

Then the head of the government participated in ecumenical worship in the nearby Chapel of Reconciliation on-site church, destroyed by the GDR authorities as the object of impeding the control of the border.

– Germany will never forget that this independence and liberation movements in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe paved the way for the happiest moment in their recent history – Merkel said during a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Among the events that contributed to a “breach of the Iron Curtain”, mentioned the Czechoslovak Charter 77, Solidarity in Poland, the Hungarian authorities decided to open a the border with Austria and perestroika in the Soviet Union.

Contrary to popular belief …

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“Day of shame and disgrace”

The head of the German government in a speech during the opening of the new permanent exhibition at the Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Strasse stressed that welcomes the presence in Berlin of three people who decisively contributed to the changes in 1989 – Lech Walesa, former Hungarian Prime Minister Miklos Nemeth and Mikhail Gorbachev.

Referring to German history, Merkel claimed that the date November 9 leads not only to rejoice, but to reverie and reflection.

As recalled, November 9 1918 years abdicated Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany, which meant an end to the Empire, and at the same time the end of the First World War. Five years later, marching on Munich, Adolf Hitler attempted to overthrow the young German democracy. By contrast, November 9, 1938 the Nazis set fire to synagogues and Jewish shops pillaged, which was a prelude to the Holocaust. “

– It was a day of” shame and disgrace “- said Merkel. On the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall Germans should it according to experience, “not only joy, but most of all liability arising out of German history.”

GDR “state of lawlessness”

Speaking in the discussion on the recent past, Merkel reiterated that the GDR was “state of lawlessness”. – State infringing fundamental human rights and freedoms can not be called otherwise than state of lawlessness “- said the German chancellor. Against such an assessment GDR politicians protesting the communist left – Die Linke.

Merkel expressed sympathy for the citizens of the GDR, who after the fall of the communist dictatorship as soon as they wanted to destroy all traces of the wall. In her view, preserve the memory of the past is important, and the remnants of border installations play an important role in transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations of what was a dictatorship. Museum at Bernauer Strasse was visited by 5 million people so far.

“The day of joy and hope”

Exactly 25 years …

– Exactly 25 years ago a wall collapsed – said the director of the museum. – This day is a day of joy and hope for the Germans, for Europe and for the world. On this day, it should be mentioned also the victims – he stressed. When trying to escape from East Berlin to the western part of the city killed at least 136 people.

The former East German dissident Ehrhart Neubert said that the wall was “a visible threat of death for those who want to give up the socialist happiness.” – Only a few people could imagine that the wall will disappear once it will be able to move freely – Neubert said.

He said the wall was “a concrete manifestation of lawlessness in the GDR”. – You can not keep quiet about the fact that they were the tragic victims and bearing the responsibility of the offender. Tears of joy from November 9, 1989 is not washed away the blood spilled here, but make clear to us that the struggle for freedom and human rights brings results – said Neubert, now head of the Office of Civic, helping the victims of the communist lawlessness.

Built in 1961, Wall along Bernauer Strasse ran. The buildings on one side of the street belonged to the Communist-ruled East Berlin and the sidewalk in front of them to West Berlin protected by the Western powers. After the closure of the border August 13, 1961 year in this place played out a dramatic scene. Escaping to the West, people were jumping from the upper floors of houses often suffered serious injury.

The last leader of the …

collapsed wall

November 9, 1989 the East German government enacted the agreement on the free travel of citizens of the GDR to the FRG and West Berlin, which was to take effect the next day at 4 o’clock in the morning. Mission to inform the public received supervising media member Guenter Schabowski party leadership, which, however, did not know all the details taken in his absence the decision. Therefore, convened a press conference in the evening by a foreign journalist asked the question, “When it enters into force?”, Spontaneously replied, “From what I know will come … this is immediately, without delay.”

Many East Germans watched the live broadcast on national television conference, whose results were staggering. Jubilant crowd quickly filled the area all border crossings in Berlin. The first barriers were repealed there at 21 midnight on both sides of the wall lasted longer in the best libertarian festivities.

On Twitter a photograph of Helmut Kohl, the Brandenburg Gate:

Author: National Armed Forces, kde // gak, RZW / PAP