20 years on in Berlin

[Simba]

I was just old enough in 1961 to realise that something horrible was happening in Berlin. In 1968, I watched the 'Prague Spring' turn prematurely to winter as Soviet tanks rumbled into the city to supress Dubcek's reforms. All through the 1970s and into the 1980s, the boot of the USSR ground into the faces of decent people who just wanted to have their say.

Then in 1989, the people DID have their say. Thanks largely to the concessions made by a Russian who cared more about those people than his predecessors, the repressive puppet regimes of Eastern Europe were exposed as exactly that. The dissidents of East Germany gathered in Leipzig and Honicke's call on Michael Gorbachev for Soviet assistance to deal with them was met with 'niet'. I watched in wonder as the Berlin Wall began to fall to pick-axes wielded by bold Berliners who'd had enough, and I cheered. With every lump of concrete that hit the ground I felt a load I never realised I carried lift from my shoulders. Now, twenty years on, I still regard that day as one of the happiest I've ever experienced.

Power to the people and here's to freedom - again, cheers!

 

 

[KgB]

He did it to screw up western Germany, they still recovering from reuniting:)

[boomerlu]

Do you happen to be a writer Simba? Or a motivational speaker?

Because that was pretty moving...  and this is just a forum!

[zack1234]

The Wall was built in Germany because they lost the war.
Don't start wars if you cannot win them.
The Germans got of lightly and they know it.
I feel sorry for people killed in London,Liverpool and the rest of the countries bombed by Germany.

You should be ashamed of yourself "weight lifted of your shoulders, I cheered" appalling.

The Berlin wall coming down represented one thing which was no one wanted communism and you can start a war kill many millions all has been forgiven.

 

[KgB]

Just found it on Wiki.

"Glasnost(rus. "пиздешь")
1988 would see Gorbachev's introduction of glasnost.... "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Gorbachev

I don't know what moron typed it in but "пиздешь" means bullcrap, well he was talking lottsa bullcrap from the moment he was elected.

[Nilsen]

Don't start wars if you cannot win them.

mhm

[Larry]

The Wall was built in Germany because they lost the war.
Don't start wars if you cannot win them.
The Germans got of lightly and they know it.
I feel sorry for people killed in London,Liverpool and the rest of the countries bombed by Germany.

You should be ashamed of yourself "weight lifted of your shoulders, I cheered" appalling.

The Berlin wall coming down represented one thing which was no one wanted communism and you can start a war kill many millions all has been forgiven.

 

Maybe one day they'll cure moronism.

[Nilsen]

Maybe one day they'll cure moronism.

I hope not. Morons make the rest of us look brilliant

[zack1234]

How dare you disrespect those millions who died because of a countries arrogance.

[zack1234]

My grandfather was in two camps Dachau and Buchenwald so no we were not pleased about the Berlin war coming down.

Arrongant one sided perceptions of world events is a shame for you and your friends.

[Nilsen]

lol who is disrespecting?

[boomerlu]

Zack, there are so many things wrong with your reasoning one could write an essay. But, it's also clear there's no point arguing with you nor is there any point in listing your fallacies, historical errors, and selective omissions.

Suffice to say, I suggest you take a good look at your own attitudes and ask whether it's appropriate to apply your anger and hatred across a group of people as big as an entire country. Ask yourself: what has history taught us about such attitudes? As they say "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

If it's not obvious enough - that same attitude caused what your grandfather went through.

Anyways, I'm out of here. Once again, Simba - nice post. Zack - if you don't get my point, then you really are blind. No point in further discussion.

[SirFrancis]

I was just old enough in 1961 to realise that something horrible was happening in Berlin. In 1968, I watched the 'Prague Spring' turn prematurely to winter as Soviet tanks rumbled into the city to supress Dubcek's reforms. All through the 1970s and into the 1980s, the boot of the USSR ground into the faces of decent people who just wanted to have their say.

Then in 1989, the people DID have their say. Thanks largely to the concessions made by a Russian who cared more about those people than his predecessors, the repressive puppet regimes of Eastern Europe were exposed as exactly that. The dissidents of East Germany gathered in Leipzig and Honicke's call on Michael Gorbachev for Soviet assistance to deal with them was met with 'niet'. I watched in wonder as the Berlin Wall began to fall to pick-axes wielded by bold Berliners who'd had enough, and I cheered. With every lump of concrete that hit the ground I felt a load I never realised I carried lift from my shoulders. Now, twenty years on, I still regard that day as one of the happiest I've ever experienced.

Power to the people and here's to freedom - again, cheers!


 

 

  , sadly younger generations don´t realy know, what this event did to the world, after that the cold war finaly came to an end. We should not forget to mention Hungary (for opening the borders) and Poland (with founding of Solidarność in 1980). These two country made alot possible.

SF

[Angus]

He did it to screw up western Germany, they still recovering from reuniting:)

Interesing teaser.
I remember the whining from W-Germany from the burden of 14 million people wanting to UPGRADE to the western standard as soon as possible.
IMHO that called for an economical growth, since you basically have an add-on of both area, population (with the same language) and a will to progress.
This was something that Germany was ready to go for war for, so many years back.
This time it was on the house...
"Here ya go, we have a fine population of 14 million, housed in about the same density as W-Germany. Accommodation is so-so, ahemm. Equipment mainly Trabants. The people are generally healthy. The land is good, lots of industrial areals as well as good rural lands. Saxony is in the pool, lot's of the Elbe, and nice lands all the way down to Bavaria. Gut? Ja???"
Nice chunk without a war I'd say

[gyrene81]

My grandfather was in two camps Dachau and Buchenwald so no we were not pleased about the Berlin war coming down.

Arrongant one sided perceptions of world events is a shame for you and your friends.

Sucks to be you...the generations who came after the 3rd Reich wanted no part of either the Nazi regime or the Soviets...you should jump off that turnip truck and face human history.