Berlin celebrates 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall

November 10, 12:31 AMCable TV ExaminerChristine Nyholm

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Cable TV Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Fireworks are seen at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009.
(AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

BBC America featured many images and reports of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall, a longtime symbol of communism that divided East Germany from West Germany, came down on November 9, 1989. It is hard to believe that the momentous occasion was 20 year ago on November 9, 2009.

As someone who grew up in the generation that always was aware of the Berlin Wall, and who had cousins behind the Wall, it was difficult not to get choked up at the images shown on television. Berlin had been divided into two different worlds and began steps to unification. Younger people probably do not have any idea what a miracle it seemed when the Berlin Wall came down. Does anyone else remember how strange it seemed when it was no longer East Germany or West Germany, but simply Germany?

The show broadcast recordings of President Reagan's famous speech, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” There were images of victorious looking key figures, including Chancellor Merkel and Mikhail Gorbachev. U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was at the celebration. U.S. President Barack Obama gave a speech that was shown on a large video screen.

Today's celebration in Berlin included colorful, large scale fireworks over historic Brandenburg Gate and immense dominoes that were lined up only to be knocked down, representing the chunks of wall that were knocked down by democracy.

The most touching image may have been the video of the East Berliners passing through the new opening in the Berlin Wall into West Germany 20 years ago, with awed looks on their faces that showed that this was nothing less than a miracle to them.

Such is the magic of television, that images can be shared around the world and increase communication between different nations and societies.