The Fall of the Berlin Wall, Part I: Introduction

11/7/2009

In reverse blogging order, you’ll find seven separate posts below tracing the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. This is a pet project of mine, one that surely has stretched my blogging skills if not my research abilities and patience compiling a zillion elements.

Sources for the material include The New York Times, BBC, London Times, Spiegel TV, Wikipedia (only footnoted and approved sections), archival material and books I picked up in Berlin and Leipzig on a trip to Germany not long after the fall. Photos are mine unless noted. Video is from YouTube, and I’ve cited the source when I could locate it. Don't miss the last one. It will blow you away.

I invite your comments, reflections and memories of Europe before, during and after the division. As for Germany, it was officially reunified on October 3, 1990.

You already know how this story ends, so I’m going to put up some stunning video of the last minutes of the fall of the Berlin Wall, now, while you’re reading the intro.

This video was taken on November 9 and 10, 1989 by Spiegel TV, and its value will be much more evident once you’ve read the posts below.

3 Comments

George Phenix link

11/8/2009 01:11:11 am

Good job, Paula. Bricked up windows. Barbed wire. Bullets. You've helped us remember that freedom dies hard. Thank you.

NancyB

11/9/2009 05:03:10 am

I remember being glued to my TV set watching Tom Brokaw when the wall came down. I get chills even now thinking about this. Good job on your blog with this, thanks for the memories..

Kathleen Scott link

11/11/2009 05:49:50 am

Great series! I loved having your photos.

Blogger Profile

Retired reporter, writer, wife, mother, stepmother, grandmother, photographer, singer, knitter, kayaker, cook, swimmer -- not all at the same time
songbird@birdsonawireblog.com