Joined germany. To place tribute to the german president trying to tell the role for these countries in the event. Of course well look back about historic night 30 years ago. To the fall of the world. Im sure the Program Germany is marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the bush. The main event is underway at the historic Brandenburg Gate which for decades was part of the heavily guarded border between east and west germany until november the 9th 1900 communistic east German Authorities lifted travel restrictions on its citizens and reopened the Border Crossings to. Lets talk about it these are life images from. The unification which happened less than a year later so lets go down to tonights events at the Brandenburg Gate rejoined it up as chief Political Editor became a customer welcome mckayla took us through whats going on now. His right now behind me you can hear im not always singing shes a well known german actress and singer who myself as a teenager flats via hungary but in those on certain weeks preceding the eventual full of the balun bulls eye on her face its a dark city illustration of what a profound effect this moment caught on the lives of many people in the east but also in the west who were then reunited with their families and now shes singing their own song just suited to also remind everybody here that this is a time of reflection so many years biographies will be broken but oh so the moment that freedom became town tool for everybody in both germany and this is not just a German National read this is an International Event what did we hear from the National Leaders who had. The absolutely opposite the hole that was basically separating the Brandenburg Gate behind me from the west that was also where the also cracked in the east and they too were basically seeing eye to eye it was a the sound off of the cold. But we also heard from german president frank but i started my hear today that this moment was also much larger than just that moment its also hard to. Importance internationally but also to see just to this is have a listen to what he had to say. Is give you a large an issue today isnt just about the old pictures the highs of days gone by. Then we can feel the today is for us. Today is about you know our country was a day when we remember the brave people back then with gratitude and tears in our eyes. And we cant just sit by and watch as that for which they fought is forgotten and. This large study covered sukkot can be done we cant allow people to be excluded and attacked might get a good finish to us this meant democracy to be disrespected and our solidarity destroyed. The government hard and cant allow that to happen. Via next to nothing thank you. Yes and hes no looting the far right if the party it would have been able to be so strong showing in recent elections of the time and must not allow this does posses that it may make it democratic probably somebody could once again. Bring. Down down is the freedom of the democracy that was it was so hard to early on to not have a good lawyer who led the agency that knew you looked into the history of the stasi because he said that that was. Odd now saying these rightwing tendencies should not be allowed to make historic reference to those who fought for freedom because this is exactly what the far right a d. Of course did in recent elections that we saw here cooling from then to 2. 02 men are waking unification 2. 0 trying to tap into that but 10 so out of the freedom that so many people pull in so many people still that own power seems broken. And what else is happening tonight rick tyler. Those who would do you to hear more of the form. Says we do to actually have live links to other celebrations across germany weve heard about a boy could be but you know staatskapelle so theres a lot of celebration here its like a big east german west German Family celebrating but every now and then there is a reminder of the people who became victims of that development you know said law is that the fallen but also that this family east the west still has quite a ways to go to be true to be united as a society when you look at the Brandenburg Gate you could just explain to us that its its historical significance. Im afraid i cant hear you thats all right the Brandenburg Gate where you are what is its historic significance. Yes it was it was built as kind of a knock to triomphe of. d us in time so it is years ago but of course in living memory it became symbolic of the down midst but the disastrous destruction in the 2nd world war then to this enough east and west because you were able to look at cross it but then also of course german reunification we all know those images of people climbing over the next city. After the wall came down to the bus line that used to go right through the Brandenburg Gate it was reinvigorated this is open for city and but you can now walk freely from east to west and like no other place it symbolizes that exactly that is now possible d. W. Chief Political Editor im here to cover. Things from the back gate fact here. Tonights events at the Brandenburg Gate follow a more somber memorial that took place earlier than spend now a strong one of the few places in the city were parts of the wall are Still Standing german chancellor im going to machall and other european leaders took part in a special ceremony to remember those who died and east germanys shoot to kill orders against anyone trying to flee to the west. Ceremonies in the heart of berlin commemorate the 30th anniversary of whats called the peaceful revolution. Today this section of the wall is a memorial site but 3 decades ago it separated east and west germany and this symbolic location is where the official memorial celebrations are taking place. The iron curtain is now history thats what these young people say they are from the socalled visit grodd countries poland the Czech Republic slovakia and hungary their message 30 years after the fall of the wall europe stands united and in his speech german president funk steinmeyer emphasized the role of east European Countries before the fall of the wall the openly demonstrated for more freedom. Or noted moot or not in fighting thats been born without the courage and desire for freedom that motivated the poles hungary ends czechs and slovaks the peaceful revolutions in Eastern Europe and german reunification would not have been possible. Guns on its vote flooded this place and this day remind us of a great historical achievement. And they remind us that today we europeans are united in joy. So and so im going to find the chapel of reconciliation was built on the former death strip where the east German Government demolished a church 4 years before the wall fell this chapel hosts regular ceremonies in honor of those who died during germanys years of division. Is that in that i would like to honor those who were killed near the wall because they sought freedom. I honor the 75000 people who were imprisoned because they attempted to flee east germany and i did the 9th of november is a day of destiny a day of horrible and also joyful moments in history that reminds us that hate racism and antisemitism must be fought. And chosen and. Then a moment of solemn thoughts for the victims of a divided germany. This is the news of life youre watching special coverage of the 30th anniversary of the war having shown you some of tonights commemorative events here in the city lets now go back 30 years to the historic night. The wall must go what had seemed unimaginable became true on november 9th 1989. After 28 years a chink in the wall and suddenly immeasurable freedom. When im with my mother and my father over there can i go over there and see my parents yes. Thank you. That does no one dreamed that this was possible in their life a tough guy image upload the sushi it is too good to be true millions of people have been waiting for this moment. So youve never been to the west no never what sort of feeling is that brilliant indescribable the atmosphere in the joy you cant believe it my its crazy. Laws an. 11 30 pm at berlins Bornholmer Strasse a transit point the borders 1st began to open here freedom had finally won. Now its off to west berlin. Destination the glittering came down from a not. Just and we just walked right through without being stopped it was fantastic. I just went over with my id was let in just went over there i asked if it was free yes they asked what were planning to play with and what did you do here in western and no effort just went over there and stood there had my feet on the ground that was it 1st just went over there to see if its true because now we can go back and forth at any time its fantastic leaders were surprised and overwhelmed former an incumbent man as a prime demba gate. They spoke of the happiest people are the united europe and fissions and ideas. Leave the peace somewhere for the museum. Of the people must be able to meet each other again freely not just for a few days but always. One year later east and west germany or united but bitter memories of decades of separation and a system of oppression remained. At more than schloss in the Central Valley and because in this building behind me all the believe that stood there before the political events of the 9th of november culminated in a very famous a press conference during the day. Political scene in east berlin it was very basic busy there was frantic activity there was a pull it for a meeting there was a Central Committee meeting where basically it was decided to lift travel restrictions on the next day the 10th of november and then a man called going to schabowski who was have been the government spokesman only for 3 days was told to go and brief the International Press which he then did and there were a couple of misunderstandings there in that press conference and i think we can have a listen to that right now. The east German Government was under growing pressure on the evening of november 9th 1909 spokesman. Called a press conference. In a bid to quell the growing demonstrations communist authorities had agreed to allow east germans to travel without restrictions to the west of us he was asked by reporters when this would take effect he looked at his notes. Just as far as im aware its effective immediately. Which. The east german regime was caught off guard across the border and west berlin camera teams waited for something to happen the announcement set off a tidal wave of east german citizens who wanted to enter the west hours later history was made as people began crossing the border freely and the berlin wall began to fall. And with me now is with me now here in the center of dean often who at the time was a rookie reporter for 29 hears working for west german radio on is only a 2nd assignment to east berlin and he went to this now Infamous Press conference. Tell me was there anything did you know what to expect not exactly that the town was filled this room was with expectations and tension and something had to happen. To the regulations of travelling and they had to change those regulation this evening next day but attests to happen now the pressure on the government was intense was it yeah because the g. D. R. Was bleeding out 2 deaths. Several sols and towns thousands of people leaving a week for a week of the g. D. P. And these were the young people the young families the best of them when you went into this press conference was it immediately palpable that we would be a historic event. Nuts yes knowing that i went in and my 1st impression was completely annoying because mr schabowski swagged all the time about reforming socialism and how to do it and how to make a better place but that was not the question the people were thinking about the people were thinking about freedom and travelling and 57 of the 60 minutes the press a press Conference Take place he talks about reforming socialism and then you missed the main part a nightmare for record yeah complete nightmare and historic fail for me because i have 5 minutes before the press conference and i have to go upstairs where rick radio studio was to make a life broadcast to my Radio Station in western berlin so i prepared a little bit 5 minutes and this where the 5 minutes i missed the historical sentence of mr so you could have been the 1st person to tell the world that the wall is open but you couldnt after you realized what did you do then. I went inside to several boss and pencil back in some berlin and spoke with the people there they didnt know anything and i brought the news to them and this was a very intense speaking and interns evening and then we went together to the border to the checkpoints where the pressure on the border was drawing growing in every minute but nothing was happening at that very moment thank you very much for sharing your memories of a very sad and report. Back to the studio. Thank you well somebody else who was living here in west 30 years ago is deja vu Political Correspondent peter craven you were there part of a one of the witnesses to history and there had been demonstrations calling for reform so how surprising was it when they said yes. It was a massive surprise i have to say id just like just like to go back a couple of months in contemporary history back then it was an interesting example of the sort of the patterns of thought that people had and that i shared it i went to a big cinema at east berlin to see a movie it doesnt matter which movie it was a movie that was extremely critical of the east German Authorities and gathered in this big theater were may be our guests are 1001. 1200 people and they saw this film that was as i say extremely critical of i can remember shuffling out of the cinema and i think everybody was thinking the same thing everybody was thinking the regimes days surely numbered its this kind of movies beings shown in this kind of setting but nevertheless if you ask people when will it crumble when will the war for everybody would say probably not in my lifetime and so when it happened what were people frightened. Some people are frightened only on the verge on the evening the mood was was of jubilation that were that much was much was true but i remember meeting a man called her of the ago who was in charge of the Bornholmer Strasse or Border Crossing which was where and of america went across and there was much jubilation there but he explained how behind the scenes he was a tortured individual because he was if he was a he was phoning through to his Senior Officers in east berlin and saying give me instructions given instructions this hundreds of people came towards the crossing point and he was terrified that the situation was going to get out of control and he was terrified that one of his men who were very numerous and were very many of them no one of these men would suddenly you know panic and shoot or whatever there would be violence and that you know that would lead to you know a breakdown of the whole situation so he let people pass and became a sort of a minor hero of the story. And its all ok a plea to stay with us because we want to just turn now and look at one of the darker. Parts of life in communist east germany violence intimidation torture many who were imprisoned in what was communist east germany say they were brutalized historians estimate the regime jailed at least 180000 Political Prisoners so it is the story of one man who is still working through what he experienced more than 30 years ago. The former prison and cut both east germany detained mainly Political Prisoners here such as chris henchy who was imprisoned in may of 1908 he had called for more human rights in a poster a crime to the oppressive regime his sentence one year and 4 months in prison. Remember to you this was my bed. I slept there for half a year if the gods let him they used sleep deprivation as a torture methods chris was always afraid of being beaten he barely had enough to eat the bread was often moldy but because henschel feels no hatred today. I feel empty inside. Because back then you had to shut off your feelings when you went to prison. And when you got out again you try to turn your feelings back on. But it wasnt easy it still isnt. Good and after 9 months in prison the west German Government paid for his release he moved to west berlin a little while later his wife and daughter were allowed to join him but the marriage broke apart to phyllis and avoid chris worked as a Financial Advisor day and night but a few years ago his suppressed feelings spoke to the surface again panic attacks sleepless nights eventually he had to stop working he found help and the only Counseling Center east germanys traumatized victims therapist bettina keel on and a team support hundreds of people throughout germany who suffer from trauma even 30 years after the fall of the berlin wall. The problem is far from being resolved and we see it here in our Counseling Center some clients are only now starting to talk about what happened to them at some point they feel ready to find help and they have the courage and they feel that it is necessary for their personal Development Also white despite the therapy history must still shows up today in the press of phases that last several days hes still unable to hold down a job for chris henchy forgetting is impossible. The communists stole part of our lives for nothing i was young only 27. 00 and they stole part of our lives. For nothing. Just to demonstrate their power. For 3 months. Knows that his trauma cant be cured but with the right help hes learning how to live with it. Lets pick up on some of those points with the doubly Political Correspondent peter craven whos still with us to tell us about the enforcers the stars either the. Communist secret police. And the the intriguing thing is i think i just like to begin with the fact that its surprising how many people were made from the former east germany these days who says that they were actually happy to live in the former east germany that they said it was their home it was their hi matt because obviously lurking in the background is the stars and the stars who were incredibly cruel and i think the answer to the 2 to the riddle as it were is that there was a row an awful lot of people who learned how to keep their heads down but then there were critical thinkers in the stars who came down very hard on them as this thing towards german. One prominent east german figure the earlier in the day saying that. Everything was ok in east germany exist except for people who wanted to have their own thoughts wanted to go to where they wanted to go wanted to wanted to do what they want to do and then the stars you were incredibly cruel there was a stars in prison down in the one shown house in east berlin where i were which i would recommend anybody who wants to know about the stars it goes to you it was very interesting me coming from the an anglosaxon background went down there and you go around the prison and you asked the us to guide at the end of the tour because this is what happens in anglosaxon wartime movies people escape from the prison you say how many people escaped and the guy looks at you and says nobody escapes this was. They were cruel they were ruthlessly efficient. Quite a chilling story peter craven thank you. This is that d. W. News up next a check and a travel guide to where belden wall special are of course that there is more on this and the days other events going on in the world on our website by state w dot com so i will leave you now with music from tonight so celebrations at the Brandenburg Gate have a good day. The air. A little. Place. 30 years after the fall of the berlin wall. T. W. Today i write a long before my border between east and west berlin. I would like to see what remains of the history of the division of Europe Germany and fairly. Searching for traces of the berlin. D w. T o france dear antonio heres a scene when your mother was born in 1969 the world was already 8 years old you know my grandchildren were born after the wall fell born in a free. 3 generations one family on a journey through recent german history and. All our family and costs. Going to. Discover. Discovery with the. School. After 100 lives the ideals of the bombs are more relevant today than they were. Under the generous reshapes things to come about most people understood design as a way of shaping society. Alex was 3 part documentary starts november 14th on w. Park in berlin it doesnt look all that special berliners have lots of green space to choose from but this isnt just any park after the fall of the berlin wall in 1990 this broad section of no mans land was turnt
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