大象传媒

On 9 November 1989, history was made as thousands of East Berliners surged through the checkpoints, marking the fall of the Berlin Wall - an event that not only signified the end of the Cold War but also paved the way for the reunification of Germany.

For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall had divided East and West Berlin, an embodiment of the Iron Curtain that separated Europe. The fall of the Wall was preceded by widespread political changes and public protests across Eastern Europe, reflecting a growing demand for freedom and reform.

Part of what led to this historic moment was a miscommunication during a press conference by G眉nter Schabowski, an East German official, who mistakenly announced that border crossings would be opened. This announcement, broadcast on live television, prompted a rush to the border, where overwhelmed and unprepared guards eventually allowed people to pass freely into West Berlin.

The ensuing scenes of jubilation were broadcast around the world. East and West Berliners clambered atop the Wall, embracing, celebrating, and chipping away at the concrete barrier that had separated them for so long. The fall of the Berlin Wall became a powerful symbol of the triumph of freedom over oppression.

Kirsty Wark speaks to Georg Mascolo, a journalist who witnessed the moment the first gate was opened; Jens Reich, an opposition leader; Tim Eisenlohr, one of the youngest activists in the reform movement; Andr茅 Herzberg, a GDR-critical musician; Birgit Schlicke who witnessed the fall of the wall while incarcerated as a political prisoner; and Christine Bartels who lived right next to the border and could see the so-called death-strip from her window.

Producer: Ilona Toller
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for 大象传媒 Radio 4