35 Years Since the Fall of the Wall. 17 Perspectives

The Berlin Wall fell 35 years ago. In Germany, the 9th of November 1989 is an important historical date that is officially commemorated. Around the world, the fall of the Wall came to symbolize the end of the Cold War. For people from East and West Berlin and the GDR, it was a personal and life-changing event. However, the fall of the Berlin Wall represents not only a “happy ending” to German history of division.

In people’s memories and experiences, it is much more complex, and does not always evoke positive emotions. For some, the transformation process brought with it difficult changes, such as unemployment and uncertainty. For other, the fall of the Berlin Wall was a happy moment, accompanied by freedom of travel and an open border. For some, it marked the beginning of political developments with growing racism and exclusion. For others, the fall of the Berlin Wall created new professional and personal opportunities.

All these different experiences are described by 17 contemporary witnesses. They show that not just one single view of the event exists, there are many different experiences.

You can watch the full-length interviews on YouTube.

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