20 Years ago today

[Oracle of Delphi]

I was in Berlin when the wall fell, I was 20 years old at the time, it is something I will never forget as long as I live. A lot of Americans take freedom for granted, they don't even bother to vote. As a man who has a foot in both North America and Europe, and seeing what I saw there, I have a greater appreciation for what can be lost if it's not held dear. The fall of this wall lead to German reunification of East and West Germany.

The beginning of the Wall.

The Wall falls in 1989.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Pontiac Custom-S

[Robert Hall]

One of my closest friends from college was in Berlin when the wall fell, he was born in the US to German-born parents. He said it was a very special time to be in Berlin.

[CSpec]

I visited Berlin last year. Here's a picture I took of a remaining fragment of wall:

A truly fantastic testament to the victory of freedom to live and own property.

[Camino LS6]

I'll never forget it, I watched the news in stunned disbelief. No one who didn't live through the Cold War and mutual assured destruction will ever understand just how dramatic the paradigm shift that this event initiated really was. The entire midset of every adult or near-adult on this planet shifted irrevocably that day.

A good friend of mine was there when it happened and brought home some pieces of the wall. I can't imagine what it must have been like to watch people take sledgehammers to the wall so they could drive their Trabants through the breach in pure triumph.

The significance of this event cannot be overstated. It was a victory of humanity over its own stupidity.

Edited November 7, 2009 by Camino LS6

[trinacriabob]

Yes. A good day, indeed.

However, there are TOO MANY MORE walls that need to come down, with oppressive dark regimes most of us aren't even aware of...as well as the "standard" ones that are constantly mentioned in the news.

Freedom empowers people. It can be taken a bit too far, but most societies have prospered because their underpinnings are all about individual freedom and respect.

I probably won't be going to see Berlin any time soon, since my tried and true itinerary of Mediterranean Western Europe and southern South America work very well for me. But, hey, there's so many people who don't want to travel at all, so....

I'm waiting for the day when I can board a flight in Miami or Houston and go to Cuba for a week...and eat a huge serving of "ropa vieja" in Havana.

[Z-06]

One of my brother's pen friend was killed during the actual fall. One of the most heartfelt moment in German history.

[ocnblu]

Serious question: how's it going with the assimilation over there? 20 years later, are there still issues, or is it as if the wall never existed?

[Oracle of Delphi]

Serious question: how's it going with the assimilation over there? 20 years later, are there still issues, or is it as if the wall never existed?

There is still prejudice against people from the former East Germany (DDR), jokes are made about them being slow and stupid, similar to what you hear in the US if you were born in the south. They are called Easties in German. In the west Neo-Nazism (Skin Heads) is on the rise, other than that, it goes well.

Well looky here, my 10,000th post and it's with ocnblu talking about Germany ...

Edited November 8, 2009 by Pontiac Custom-S

[ocnblu]

Better than spending quality time with the Mrs., no doubt!