Berlin remembers the fall of the Wall 25 years on
- 10 years ago
Twenty five years after the Berlin Wall came down, the Brandenburg Gate remains the symbol of the separation and the reunification of the country.
It’s certainly the most photographed building in the city and preparations are underway for the big party of the weekend. Around two million people are expected to visit Berlin to take part in the commemorations and celebrations.
Visitors and Berliners alike have been remembering the days when the wall was still standing.
“I saw the wall right here, it was in its first phase, it was the first year after it was built – 13 August 1962. The wall was lower, it didn’t have the top part but it was dreadful to look at,” said one French tourist.
One woman from west Berlin recalled her disbelief that the wall had came down.“We saw the tanks and they were formidable. and it is really incredible to be here, 25 years after the wall came down.I never thought I’d see that day in my life, but I have and it is really great,” she said.
A man from east Berlin described how things were when the wall was still standing. “That was the end of the road, so to speak. It was the same as the railway station “Westend” for the people from west Berlin – the Brandenburg Gate was the border. You could look at it but there was no way of going near it. And if you stopped the soldiers would press you to keep walking.”
Euronews correspondent in Berlin, Olaf Bruns says that even 25 years later the memories of the time of the separation are as fresh as if they were yesterday. This weekend is all about overcoming the separation, he says, and that will be a big party.
It’s certainly the most photographed building in the city and preparations are underway for the big party of the weekend. Around two million people are expected to visit Berlin to take part in the commemorations and celebrations.
Visitors and Berliners alike have been remembering the days when the wall was still standing.
“I saw the wall right here, it was in its first phase, it was the first year after it was built – 13 August 1962. The wall was lower, it didn’t have the top part but it was dreadful to look at,” said one French tourist.
One woman from west Berlin recalled her disbelief that the wall had came down.“We saw the tanks and they were formidable. and it is really incredible to be here, 25 years after the wall came down.I never thought I’d see that day in my life, but I have and it is really great,” she said.
A man from east Berlin described how things were when the wall was still standing. “That was the end of the road, so to speak. It was the same as the railway station “Westend” for the people from west Berlin – the Brandenburg Gate was the border. You could look at it but there was no way of going near it. And if you stopped the soldiers would press you to keep walking.”
Euronews correspondent in Berlin, Olaf Bruns says that even 25 years later the memories of the time of the separation are as fresh as if they were yesterday. This weekend is all about overcoming the separation, he says, and that will be a big party.