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Twenty years ago, on November 9th, the Berlin Wall came tumbling down.

The greatest symbol of the Cold War, which many never dreamt they would see disappear, was overwhelmed by people power.

This momentous event precipitated largely peaceful revolutions across Eastern Europe as people shook off 40 years of communism.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s World Affairs Editor John Simpson, experienced it at first hand.

He witnessed the bloody overthrow of the Ceausescu regime. The brutal dictator and his wife were executed on Christmas Day 1989, with the dramatic scenes played out on TV.

John returns to Bucharest 20 years later to assess what has happened since.

First broadcast on and aired on ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service on 25 December 2009.