Berlin: 9 November 1989 - A Historic Day Remembered

[Borek]

it surprises me that you don't see this one as having more significance. Poland was one of many battlefields in the cold war and those incidents you listed were some skirmishes, but Berlin was the main front in the war.

As DanP wrote - fall of Berlin Wall makes a perfect symbol, but this is one of the last domino pieces that fell down. For me that's more capitulation of Eastern Germany officials faced by overhelming evidence that they will be not able to hold their political position, than anything else.

Besides, calling Berlin the main front of the cold war is an exagerration. As you have stated all important events that were listed in this thread took place in other countries of the Eastern block, none in GDR. This was guerilla war without the main front.

I think it can beinteresting to compare DanP memories with mine. In November 1989 - from the economical point of view - there was probably not much difference between Poland ond Romania (well, differences were huge, but let's summarize it saying that in both countries buying even basic stuff was very difficult). However, we were over half a year after Round Table Agreement and 5 months after first free elections since WWII (see Contract Sejm) in which trurly independent candidates were allowed to start (not for all seats, but nonetheless this was a substantial change; thus for us 4th June 1989 is much more prominent date than 9th November). Romania was still in fear, Poland was already in hope. For us in Poland it was obvious that system is falling, and Berlin was just a next step on the ladder.

When speaking of significant moments that we remember of 1989 - two moments come to mind. I remember first days of first session of Contract Sejm - I was demolishing an old shed listening to the radio and it was incredible to hear unthinkable things said loud and ofiicially. And I remember December events in Romania - we were at winter vacations and we were watching news every day, I remember footage from Timişoara (especially someone kicking lying body, I feel pain up to today when I think of it) and later of Ceauşescu trial and execution.

Berlin I remember more as a disappointment - Kohl was with a visit in Poland, talking with Mazowiecki, and left earlier - than as an important event (my personal feelings were that Kohl dared to leave prematurely just because the Berlin wall was falling; obviously biased point of view, but that's how I remember my reaction). System was falling appart, it was just a matter of order - who is next?

 

[DanP]

Suffice to say, one has different perceptions over an event. It's pretty different when you have to live the events (obviously, I am not speaking about directly experiencing Berlin fall), then watching speeches on TV and reading the media. It's normal, and I think it's great. It makes up for diversity.

One thing I always found funny on internet is the bull spit out by many smart-asses who label people bigot leftists, idiot leftists and so on, without knowing anything of the background of the person they categorize, and how much many people from Eastern Europe hates what left and communist doctrine did to us.

I guess when you grow up in a safe heaven you have a lot of time to waste with "textobook" platitudes. Its always easy for those "armchair quarterbacks" to open their mouth.

 

[Andre]

It appears that the tumbling wall had been predicted fairy accurately:

Twenty years ago, on November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, and with it fell the Soviet Union and its empire of tyranny throughout Eastern Europe. In August 1977, the British journalist and broadcaster Bernard Levin had predicted what eventually happened. ... cont'd

and from the article:

..There will be no gunfire in the streets, no barricades, no general strikes, no hanging of oppressors from lamp-posts, no sacking and burning of government offices, no seizure of radio stations or mass defections among the military...

..And when it does happen—let us suppose, for neatness’ sake, on July 14, 1989—..

...How much the greatest event it is that ever happened in the world! And how much the best!

 

[mheslep]

As DanP wrote - fall of Berlin Wall makes a perfect symbol, but this is one of the last domino pieces that fell down. For me that's more capitulation of Eastern Germany officials faced by overhelming evidence that they will be not able to hold their political position, than anything else.

Besides, calling Berlin the main front of the cold war is an exagerration. As you have stated all important events that were listed in this thread took place in other countries of the Eastern block, none in GDR. This was guerilla war without the main front.

...

Czech President Klaus voices a similar view in the interview above - he cites Solidarity in Poland as the only effective dissident movement in Eastern Europe.

 

[DanP]

Out of curiosity, was symbolism associated with Berlin wall used intensively by USA propaganda during cold war ?

I would think so, but if anyone is kind enough to confirm or deny , please do so

 

[DrClapeyron]

Out of curiosity, was symbolism associated with Berlin wall used intensively by USA propaganda during cold war ?

I would think so, but if anyone is kind enough to confirm or deny , please do so

We keep hearing about the damn wall today, so I'd imagine the USA continues to use the wall as a selling point.