Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall
Mon, Nov 23, 2009
I remember when I was in elementary school learning about the Berlin Wall… watching and hearing about the 3.5 million people trapped behind it. Over the 25 years that it was up, more than 5,000 people tried to cross with death tolls ranging from 100 to 200. Oh the injustice of it all.
Finally, November 9, 1989 when the wall came down. I was 16… and just moved from Papua New Guinea to Los Angeles. I watched Germany celebrate on TV. I watched them tear down the wall. I watched people from East Germany sitting on the wall, side by side with their fellow citizens from West Germany. And from my living room I celebrated and danced for joy.
And then this October, I found myself actually standing at Check Point Charlie, and seeing for myself, the remnants of the wall – and a unified Germany. What was it like? Surreal. How did I feel? I was in awe. And as I quietly thought this all through…and took my pictures I thought…
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Nov. 9, 2009. So sad that such a tragic political decision separated a country. So happy that the people of the country never gave up hope.
Check Point Charlie. Once upon a time this was heavily guarded.
I got this chocolate heart from Air Berlin – they give it to you as you leave the plane.
Graffiti Art covers the wall. Save Our Planet!
If you look really closely – the brick line on the road marks where the wall once stood.
Tags: Berlin
Great post! I am much younger than you (only 4 in 1989) and the fall of the Berlin Wall on TV is one of my earliest childhood memories. At the time I couldn’t understand, but I recall vividly the huge celebration that day. Some day all the walls in this world will be torn down. Keep on travelling!