I wasn't quite born yet, what was it like and can you remember where you were? Did it feel like a paradigm shift, or did you not really care all that much? What about the fall of the Soviet Union two years later, did that surprise you even after the wall fell or was it only a question of time after the wall was opened and Germany reunified that the Soviets would split up?

I remember it clearly.  Everyone knew it was coming so it wasn't a big surprise.  The way the USSR broke up was a bit more of a surprise, but that was also coming.  The sight of a drunk Boris Yeltsin on a tank gave on pause.  I think history will record that if Mikhail Gorbachev had been allowed to retain power and negotiate the dismantling of the union, which was already in progress, things would have gone much smoother for all concerned.

Did it feel like a paradigm shift,

::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

I was in 6th grade.  I remember it well.  My dad is a major history buff, and I remember him crying when it happened.  At the time I don't think I could really grasp the signifigance.

I don't remember it and wasn't really aware that it happened. I was in Greece at the time and we didn't have tv. I had no idea what was going on in the world for months. We had Armed Forces Radio & Stars & Stripes newspaper-not much in the way of media. The newspaper we would get weeks later and that was very sporadic. I don't remember the news coming on AFR-even though I sure it did. Maybe I just wasn't listening to it at the time.



Cat

I was 3 and a few months and I didn't really notice it. I have some vague memories of TV pictures showing people climbing over the wall, but I don't know if that was on Nov. 9th, 1989. I also didn't notice the actual reunification which was one year later on October 3rd, 1990. Too bad, I was born probably 2 or 3 years too late.

I don't remember it and wasn't really aware that it happened. I was in Greece at the time and we didn't have tv. I had no idea what was going on in the world for months. We had Armed Forces Radio & Stars & Stripes newspaper-not much in the way of media. The newspaper we would get weeks later and that was very sporadic. I don't remember the news coming on AFR-even though I sure it did. Maybe I just wasn't listening to it at the time.



Cat


I don't remember where I was either. I must have been 27 at the time and other things were going on in my life then.

I'm kind of surprised it wasn't a big deal to a lot of people.

I wasn't quite born yet, what was it like and can you remember where you were? Did it feel like a paradigm shift, or did you not really care all that much? What about the fall of the Soviet Union two years later, did that surprise you even after the wall fell or was it only a question of time after the wall was opened and Germany reunified that the Soviets would split up?


I think the significance of the fall of The Wall, like most things, depends on how old you were at the time. I was two and a half, so it obviously meant nothing at all to me, but I would have to think that if you were an adult that had lived under the threat of nuclear war your entire life that you would have had a feeling of great relief at seeing the symbolic end of the Cold War.

I'm kind of surprised it wasn't a big deal to a lot of people.


I have an idea that it meant more to people who saw the wall go up in the early 60s. Even though there was a threat of nuclear war for all my life up to that point, it didn't that much to me.  Like machine_head said, it was a relief....but almost no big deal to me. Maybe I wasn't in tune with politics yet, too young? too ignorant? 

I'm kind of surprised it wasn't a big deal to a lot of people.



"The Wall will be standing in 50 and even in 100 years, if the reasons for it are not yet removed."
-- General Secretary Erich Honecker, January 1989

It was a big deal to me.  I couldn't believe what I was seeing on the TV.  Gorbachev or not, for all we knew in 1988 the Soviet Bloc might be with us for the next couple of hundred years.  Sure, there was Glasnost and Perestroika and there was some talk of the Eastern alliance breaking apart, but it was still very much intact and the message was still "Don't f**k with the man!"

In 1989, DDR citizens were protesting bogus election results.  A lot of them started leaving the country even without exit visas into the newly loosened borders of Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and into Austria.  In August General Secretary Erich Honecker ordered a squadron of paratroopers to fire on protesting crowds in Leipzig.  The soldiers refused.  That was the blow against the empire that did it.  On November 9, 1989, people started smashing the wall.  In December it was all gone and so was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.  A year later East and West reunited and there was one Germany for the first time since World War II.  Two years later, the Soviet Union collapsed and was no more.

The sudden demise of Soviet Communism was actually half a century in the making, but that's not what we were told in school.  The American public schools did a better job than Stalin ever could at teaching us the Soviet bloc was a mighty and unified socialist empire that could nuke the free world into submission at any second.  The fact that it took three years and no World War III for the whole operation to die as a political entity taught me something I'll always cherish.  The most fearsome tyrants can be smashed if the people have the resolve to make it so.

Today they tell us our military-industrial complex has control over all the money, all the armed forces, and all the major media.  The same was true of the Kremlin 30 years ago, and worse.
So let's not be so sure the capitalist oligarchs can't be beaten, and beaten soundly, and beaten soon!
:)

I was merely a thought in my parents' hearts on Nov 9, 1989 ;)

I know where David Hasselhoff was that day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zXiClnK8oE

Oh did you know the 23rd anniversary was 3 days ago, on the 9th?

Oh did you know the 23rd anniversary was 3 days ago, on the 9th?


Yeah, I know. They were remembering it on TV like every year... don't know what's so special about 23 years though.

Yeah, I know. They were remembering it on TV like every year... don't know what's so special about 23 years though.


Probably it was mentioned because it just passed a few days ago. (Nov 9th)

Yeah, I know. They were remembering it on TV like every year... don't know what's so special about 23 years though.


Lol absolutely nothing is special about 23 years. 25 years is kinda a biggie, though.

Yeah, I know. They were remembering it on TV like every year... don't know what's so special about 23 years though.


You're a German, right? What is it like there now? Is there still a difference between Western and Eastern Germany? Or is it pretty much all in the past now?

Because our Civil War here in the US was 150 years ago and there's still differences between the North and South, many of which are actually a product of the war itself.

Lol absolutely nothing is special about 23 years. 25 years is kinda a biggie, though.


You are right, it is, and will be. Possibly a special celebration planned.

In November of 1988 when I was a senior in high school, I enlisted in the Army under the Delayed Enlistment Program. They gave us the option (somewhat) of choosing our duty assignments and I chose West Germany. In June of 1989, I reported for duty at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and did 6 weeks of basic training, followed by another 6 weeks of AIT (Advanced Individual Training). I completed AIT in October of 1989 and was given 30 days leave at home before I shipped off to West Germany.

While I was at home on leave in early November, I was laying in bed in my old bedroom (it sure was nice to be able to sleep in LOL) when my mom burst in. "Al! Al! Come upstairs! You've got to see this!" And I was like, "What? What is it?" And my mom said, "You're not going to believe this! Come upstairs now!"

Well, my mom was happy excited and not upset excited, so out of curiosity I went upstairs, having no idea what to expect. I was in the kitchen and my mom told me to go into the living room and the TV was on, showing the images of all the people celebrating and dancing on the Berlin Wall.

Max hit it on the head. None of us had expected to see this happen in our lifetimes, so yeah, it was a HUGE deal.

Since I was scheduled to leave for West Germany, at a time when our primary mission was to protect Western Europe against the Soviet Bloc, I just kind of looked at my mom and said, "Well, sh!t. NOW what are we supposed to do?"

When I arrived in West Germany, after all the inprocessing I was eventually assigned to a transportation unit and went to driver training school and eventually got my license to drive an Army tractor-trailer in Germany. In April of 1990, my company went on a convoy to haul supplies to West Berlin, and once we had arrived there we stayed for 7 days and were taken on tours around the city and one day we went into East Berlin. And, after seeing all that it really opened my eyes and made me realize how lucky we are to live in a free society, because so many people still do not. And even though I was only 19 years old, still, even then I had this feeling of being incredibly fortunate to be able to experience firsthand one of the great historical moments of the 20th century.

And as far as Berlin goes, I went back there numerous times on supply and mail runs and, to be honest, I fell in love with the place. If I should ever happen to become wealthy for some reason I'd have a vacation home there.

Yeah, I know. They were remembering it on TV like every year... don't know what's so special about 23 years though.


I know the US military presence in Germany is much, much smaller than it was 20 years ago, but I've just got to ask: Do you still occasionally see US Army semi-trucks that have a big number 37 on the wing on top of the cab?

http://www.usarmygermany.com/Units/Transportation/37th%20Trans%20Com%20line%20haul%20truck.jpg

Because that was the unit I was in.

You're a German, right? What is it like there now? Is there still a difference between Western and Eastern Germany? Or is it pretty much all in the past now?


A lot of people (including me) still distinguish betwen the East and the West. You might thing that I am too young to do so, but I was raised in the freshly unified Germany and had my grandparents in the East. That has influenced me a lot.

The whole region is generally still poorer than West Germany and the unemployment rate is quite high. However especially the bigger cities are very modern now. West Germany has spent a lot of money in the 90's and 00's to refurbish the cities and towns. A lot of places look therefore even more modern than the West. There is a great infrastructure now, new autobahns and well maintained roads. On the other hand you'll of course still find plenty of grey buildings and socialistic commieblocks.

I know the US military presence in Germany is much, much smaller than it was 20 years ago, but I've just got to ask: Do you still occasionally see US Army semi-trucks that have a big number 37 on the wing on top of the cab?


No, I don't think I have seen one. I can't remember at least, but I am also not living near an American base. If I had seen such a truck in the last years, I would definetly remember it, because European trucks usually don't have that long engine compartment in front - so it would have been definetly an eye candy for me.

No, I don't think I have seen one. I can't remember at least, but I am also not living near an American base. If I had seen such a truck in the last years, I would definetly remember it, because European trucks usually don't have that long engine compartment in front - so it would have been definetly an eye candy for me.


I actually drove an older model when I was over there 20 years ago, so this is basically (though not 100% exactly) what my truck looked like:

http://www.trucksplanet.com/photo/am_general/m915/m915_5481.jpg

I actually drove an older model when I was over there 20 years ago, so this is basically (though not 100% exactly) what my truck looked like:


Nice one. That would also be very very rare on German autobahns I think ;)

Nice one. That would also be very very rare on German autobahns I think ;)


I really need to get a scanner and upload some of my old pics already.

I really need to get a scanner and upload some of my old pics already.


Yeah, that would definetly be interesting!

In November of 1988 when I was a senior in high school, I enlisted in the Army under the Delayed Enlistment Program. They gave us the option (somewhat) of choosing our duty assignments and I chose West Germany. In June of 1989, I reported for duty at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and did 6 weeks of basic training, followed by another 6 weeks of AIT (Advanced Individual Training). I completed AIT in October of 1989 and was given 30 days leave at home before I shipped off to West Germany.

While I was at home on leave in early November, I was laying in bed in my old bedroom (it sure was nice to be able to sleep in LOL) when my mom burst in. "Al! Al! Come upstairs! You've got to see this!" And I was like, "What? What is it?" And my mom said, "You're not going to believe this! Come upstairs now!"

Well, my mom was happy excited and not upset excited, so out of curiosity I went upstairs, having no idea what to expect. I was in the kitchen and my mom told me to go into the living room and the TV was on, showing the images of all the people celebrating and dancing on the Berlin Wall.

Max hit it on the head. None of us had expected to see this happen in our lifetimes, so yeah, it was a HUGE deal.

Since I was scheduled to leave for West Germany, at a time when our primary mission was to protect Western Europe against the Soviet Bloc, I just kind of looked at my mom and said, "Well, sh!t. NOW what are we supposed to do?"

When I arrived in West Germany, after all the inprocessing I was eventually assigned to a transportation unit and went to driver training school and eventually got my license to drive an Army tractor-trailer in Germany. In April of 1990, my company went on a convoy to haul supplies to West Berlin, and once we had arrived there we stayed for 7 days and were taken on tours around the city and one day we went into East Berlin. And, after seeing all that it really opened my eyes and made me realize how lucky we are to live in a free society, because so many people still do not. And even though I was only 19 years old, still, even then I had this feeling of being incredibly fortunate to be able to experience firsthand one of the great historical moments of the 20th century.

And as far as Berlin goes, I went back there numerous times on supply and mail runs and, to be honest, I fell in love with the place. If I should ever happen to become wealthy for some reason I'd have a vacation home there.


That's awesome, Al!

I was 21 and I remember watching it on TV and wondering what the East Germans would do. In the past they would never have let that happen, especially the Soviets. It was definitely the start of the USSR downfall, but at the time noone knew what they would do and it was like that a few years later when the USSR fell. We were always waiting for them to send in the troops and lead to WW3.
  It was interesting for me to because my mother and grandparents still lived there. I was born in Baden Baden, West Germany. My dad was in the RCAF (4 Wing) and did two 4 year tours in West Germany(61-65 and 67-71). He met my mom there , married her but they seperated and we moved back to Canada. He loved his time in Germany and was always amazed at how fast it was rebuilt after WW2. He always struck him as odd that Germany was rebuilt and yet you could drive through France and still see rubble.

Well, my mom was happy excited and not upset excited, so out of curiosity I went upstairs, having no idea what to expect. I was in the kitchen and my mom told me to go into the living room and the TV was on, showing the images of all the people celebrating and dancing on the Berlin Wall.

Max hit it on the head. None of us had expected to see this happen in our lifetimes, so yeah, it was a HUGE deal.


College for me.  We'd heard the chatter, seen a few of the dominoes fall, and half-expected it.  What we didn't expect was that it'd be a scene (that would eventually resemble the ending scene from V for Vendetta) when the Germans, of their own accord, just started knocking the damn thing down with rocks, picks, shovels, even their bare hands, while the (Eastern) guards just shrugged, smiled, and laid down their arms - in retrospect, I think they were more relieved it was over than anyone.

For those of us on the Reaganite side of the R-vs-D domestic policy debate, we were as surprised as the left was.  There was a tiny bit of gloating about "our side" having won the cold war, but it was tempered by the fact that we hadn't beaten "the commies".  We'd helped (with 20+ years of perspective behind me, I realize we helped nowhere near as much as we thought at the time!), but even then, we were kinda pleasantly freaked out that it was the East Germans (and the Poles, Hungarians, and so on) who actually beat the commies.

On the night it actually happened, there was some gentle partisan sniping in the common room as people gathered around the TV wondering WTF was going to happen tonight - in the words of Alphaville, "hoping for the best but expecting the worst".  All partisanship in the room ended when people started physically taking chunks out of the wall, and someone raised a toast to the people knocking the wall down, not to us.  (I don't remember who it was, and I wish I did, because he was the first in the room to realize that the guards weren't going to fire, no matter what, and that this was going to be a party, not a massacre.)


Since I was scheduled to leave for West Germany, at a time when our primary mission was to protect Western Europe against the Soviet Bloc, I just kind of looked at my mom and said, "Well, sh!t. NOW what are we supposed to do?"


LOL, and thanks for your service!

This song really captured the spirit of the times.

Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now (1990)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z6dxQVhE8o

This song really captured the spirit of the times.

Jesus Jones - Right Here, Right Now (1990)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z6dxQVhE8o


It definitely has that 'in between eras' sort of feel to it. The blonde guy's long hair looks sort of proto-grunge but the lead singer with the earrings has that typical 80's British singer look. The sound of the song is interesting too, it's kind of a mix of typical 80s synths and the kind of alternative sounds that would come to dominate soon after.

It was the end for all those great East German "you hef papers" scenes, like in the movie Gotcha (1985, Anthony Edwards, Linda Fiorentino).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm9oMGJDY-8

Wish I could find the clip --


Jonathan: Am I in West Berlin now?
M.P.: You sure are.
Jonathan: F**K YOU!!!

Jonathan: Good night.

M.P.: I've been wanting to do that for the last six months.
:-\\