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Fall of the Berlin Wall | HearLore
— Ch. 1 · The Picnic That Broke The Curtain —
Fall of the Berlin Wall.
~6 min read · Ch. 1 of 7
On the 19th of August 1989, a Pan-European Picnic took place on the border between Austria and Hungary. This event was based on an idea by Otto von Habsburg to test the reaction of the Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev to an opening of the border. Tens of thousands of media-informed East Germans set off for Hungary after the picnic. Erich Honecker dictated to the Daily Mirror that Habsburg distributed leaflets far into Poland inviting holidaymakers to a picnic. When they came to the picnic, they were given gifts, food, and Deutsche Mark. They were then persuaded to come to the West. The leadership of the German Democratic Republic in East Berlin did not dare to completely block the borders of their own country. The Soviet Union did not respond at all. Thus the bracket of the Eastern Bloc was broken.
Resignations And Policy Shifts
Erich Honecker stepped down as leader of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany on the 18th of October 1989. He had been seriously ill and those looking to replace him were initially willing to wait for a biological solution. By October, however, political and economic situations were too grave. Honecker approved the choice of Egon Krenz, who was duly elected by the Volkskammer. Krenz promised reforms in his first public speech but was considered by the East German public to be following his predecessor's policies. Public protests demanding his resignation continued despite promises of reform. On the 1st of November, Krenz authorized the reopening of the border with Czechoslovakia. This had been sealed to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany. On the 4th of November, the Alexanderplatz demonstration took place. On the 6th of November, the Interior Ministry published a draft of new travel regulations that made cosmetic changes to Honecker-era rules.
The Confused Press Conference
An hour-long press conference led by Günter Schabowski began at 18:00 CET on the 9th of November 1989. Schabowski was the outgoing party leader in East Berlin and top party spokesman as Secretary for Information. He was joined by Minister of Foreign Trade Gerhard Beil and Central Committee members Helga Labs and Manfred Banaschak. Schabowski had not been involved in the discussions about the new regulations and had not been fully updated. Shortly before the press conference, he was handed a note from Krenz announcing the changes without further instructions. At 18:53, ANSA's Riccardo Ehrman asked if the draft travel law of the 6th of November was a mistake. Schabowski gave a confusing answer then remembered the note he had been given. A reporter asked when the regulations would take effect. After a few seconds' hesitation, Schabowski replied that it takes effect immediately, without delay. This was an apparent assumption based on the note's opening paragraph. The press conference ended promptly at 19:00 as journalists hurried from the room.
Crowds And Guard Decisions
After hearing the 9th of November broadcast, East Germans began gathering at the Wall at the six checkpoints between East and West Berlin. They demanded that border guards immediately open the gates. The surprised and overwhelmed guards made many hectic telephone calls to their superiors about the problem. At first, they were ordered to find the more aggressive people gathered at the gates and stamp their passports with a special stamp that barred them from returning to East Germany. However, this still left thousands of people demanding to be let through as Schabowski said we can. It soon became clear that no one among the East German authorities would take personal responsibility for issuing orders to use lethal force. Harald Jäger, commander of the Bornholmer Straße border crossing, yielded at 22:45. He allowed guards to open the checkpoints and let people through with little or no identity-checking. As the Ossis swarmed through, they were greeted by Wessis waiting with flowers and champagne amid wild rejoicing.
Demolition And Reunification Process
Removal of the Wall began on the evening of the 9th of November 1989 and continued over the following days and weeks. People nicknamed wallpeckers used various tools to chip off souvenirs and demolish lengthy parts in the process. In the season holidays this became a sort of international action. People from all over the western world went to West Berlin and local youth provided a range of appropriate demolition tools. On the 13th of June 1990, the East German Border Troops officially began dismantling the Wall. From there, demolition continued through Prenzlauer Berg/Gesundbrunnen, Heiligensee and throughout the city of Berlin until December 1990. According to estimates by the border troops, a total of around 1.7 million tonnes of building rubble was produced by the demolition. The demolition of the Wall was completed in 1994. German reunification formally concluded 339 days later on the 3rd of October 1990 with the dissolution of East Germany.
International Opposition And Diplomacy
French President François Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher both opposed the eventual reunification of Germany. They feared potential German designs on its neighbours using its increased strength. In September 1989, Margaret Thatcher privately confided to Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev that she wanted the Soviet leader to do what he could to stop it. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mitterrand warned Thatcher that a unified Germany could make more ground than Adolf Hitler ever had. Europe would have to bear the consequences. Despite these concerns, the process moved forward. West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl walked through the Brandenburg Gate on the 22nd of December 1989. He was greeted by East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow. West Germans and West Berliners were allowed visa-free travel starting the 23rd of December.
Celebrations And Anniversaries
On the 21st of November 1989, Crosby, Stills & Nash performed the song Chippin Away from Graham Nash's 1986 solo album Innocent Eyes in front of the Brandenburg Gate. On the 25th of December 1989, Leonard Bernstein gave a concert in Berlin celebrating the end of the Wall. The orchestra and choir were drawn from both East and West Germany as well as the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States. On New Year's Eve 1989, David Hasselhoff performed his song Looking for Freedom while standing atop the partly demolished Wall in front of 200,000 people. Roger Waters performed the Pink Floyd album The Wall just north of Potsdamer Platz on the 21st of July 1990. Over the years, there has been a repeated controversial debate as to whether the 9th of November would make a suitable German national holiday. the 9th of November is also the date of the 1918 abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II and declaration of the Weimar Republic. It is also the anniversary of the execution of Robert Blum following the 1848 Vienna revolts and the infamous Kristallnacht pogroms of the Nazis in 1938.
When did the Pan-European Picnic take place on the border between Austria and Hungary?
The Pan-European Picnic took place on the 19th of August 1989. This event was based on an idea by Otto von Habsburg to test the reaction of the Soviet Union and Mikhail Gorbachev to an opening of the border.
Who announced that East German travel regulations would take effect immediately during the press conference on the 9th of November 1989?
Günter Schabowski announced that the new travel regulations would take effect immediately without delay at 18:53 CET. He had not been involved in the discussions about the new regulations and received a note from Egon Krenz announcing the changes without further instructions.
What date did Harald Jäger allow guards to open the checkpoints at Bornholmer Straße border crossing?
Harald Jäger allowed guards to open the checkpoints and let people through with little or no identity-checking at 22:45 on the 9th of November 1989. No one among the East German authorities would take personal responsibility for issuing orders to use lethal force against the crowds.
When was the demolition of the Berlin Wall officially completed according to the text?
The demolition of the Wall was completed in 1994 after beginning on the evening of the 9th of November 1989. The East German Border Troops officially began dismantling the Wall on the 13th of June 1990, producing around 1.7 million tonnes of building rubble.
Which leaders opposed the eventual reunification of Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall?
French President François Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher both opposed the eventual reunification of Germany due to fears of potential German designs on its neighbours using its increased strength. Margaret Thatcher privately confided to Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev that she wanted him to stop it.