20 Years: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

[RabidAlien]

I remember the speech and the Wall coming down. I was only 15 at the time, so I didn't pay much attention, although I did get the feeling that something historic had happened. Man....its been that long already???

[vikingBerserker]

That was pretty cool and I rmember it well. There is a German Plant in my town that has 2 slabs from the wall on display in ftont of thier facility.

[drgondog]

Probably the most famous speech Reagan ever did. I remember watching it live.

YouTube - Reagan at Brandenburg Gate - "tear down this wall"

And the news flash announcing the fall of the wall.

YouTube - Nov. 9, 1989: The Berlin Wall Falls

Other video:

YouTube - Nov. 10, 1989: Celebration at the Berlin Wall

YouTube - CBC Archives: Berlin Wall Falls, 1989

YouTube - Fall of the Berlin Wall: The 20th anniversary of the moment

Here is video of part of the celebrations that happened tonight.

YouTube - FIREWORK - BRANDENBURG GATE - BERLIN 09. NOV. 2009 -

It was all grand - and Merkel payed zero respect to Reagan.. and Obama inflicted Hillary on Germany for this grand day.

[Lucky13]

Remember it like yesterday, was 20 then....so wish that I was there I remember as well!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

It was all grand - and Merkel payed zero respect to Reagan.. and Obama inflicted Hillary on Germany for this grand day.

Actually she did. She personally flew to the United States and spoke to the US people in front of Congress. She personally thanked the American people and said that her country will always be greatful and never forget the the United States contribution to the fall of the wall. In her speech in Berlin she also personally mentioined the American people as well. If Reagan were alive, he certainly would have been invited and been there.

I do however agree that Hillary should not have been there. Obama should have been there instead.

[comiso90]

Does anyone else have their "Flag Orders" for driving through east Germany to get to West Berlin?

I think I'll scan them tonight... Russian time stamps....

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I don't have mine. We never drove through East Germany to East Berlin. The several times that we went we always took the Duty Train from Frankfurt, West Germany. I do have the orders that allowed us to take the Duty Train through East Germany. I have thought about getting it framed with some pics, my pieces of the Berlin Wall and my Passport with the Checkpoint Charlie Stamp in it.

[DBII]

I was stationed in Fulda from 83 to 87. I could not believe it when it happened.

DBII

[drgondog]

Actually she did. She personally flew to the United States and spoke to the US people in front of Congress. She personally thanked the American people and said that her country will always be greatful and never forget the the United States contribution to the fall of the wall. In her speech in Berlin she also personally mentioined the American people as well. If Reagan were alive, he certainly would have been invited and been there.

I do however agree that Hillary should not have been there. Obama should have been there instead.

Chris - without being argumentative can you point out her remarks thanking Reagan in a similar vein or even in comparison to Gorby? I certainly missed it an I thought I read the entire transcript.

With all due respect it wasn't the "American people" holding Gorby's feet to the fire - it was our CIC Reagan who was not well respected or liked by the EU community.

[vikingBerserker]

I don't have mine. We never drove through East Germany to East Berlin. The several times that we went we always took the Duty Train from Frankfurt, West Germany. I do have the orders that allowed us to take the Duty Train through East Germany. I have thought about getting it framed with some pics, my pieces of the Berlin Wall and my Passport with the Checkpoint Charlie Stamp in it.

Now that would be cool!

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Chris - without being argumentative can you point out her remarks thanking Reagan in a similar vein or even in comparison to Gorby? I certainly missed it an I thought I read the entire transcript.

With all due respect it wasn't the "American people" holding Gorby's feet to the fire - it was our CIC Reagan who was not well respected or liked by the EU community.

Well in my opinion, her speaking before congress to the American people is more than enough. To me it means more than what she did for Gorby. Like I said, without making a mountain out of a mole hill and trying to find faults in something that is good, I believe that if Reagan were alive he would have been there.

[Maximowitz]

20 years ago...phew. Tempus fugit.


I do remember at the time a BBC reporter commenting that with the wall being torn down it was like The Beatles reforming.


But hopefully without the world tour.

[comiso90]

Process for driving from West Germany through East Germany to West Berlin:

Check in and receive briefing and a packet of flash cards. The flash cards are in German, Russian and English. In case of a break down, you were ordered to place a card against the window saying, "I demand to speak to a Russian Officer." We were prohibited from interacting with East Germans or Enlisted.

Receive time stamps a different check points. At each check point I had to do proper facing movements, salute the Russian officers and present my papers. I received the stamps and was allowed to continue.

You can see all the time stamps... If an unacceptable time was marked, we were in trouble. NO STOPPING NO SPEEDING

[Maximowitz]

Christ, it looks like Croydon.

[RabidAlien]

LOVE the backlit pic of the figure seen through the hole in the wall! Excellent shot!