European Journal | Hungary - Wildlife and Watchtowers

Our reporter Tilmann Bünz traces the western border of Hungary to a point near Sopron where,in the summer of 1989,a hole suddenly appeared in the Iron Curtain.On August 19,1989,a Hungarian officer named Arpad Bella was in charge of a border station near Sopron when it became the scene of a Pan-European Picnic ,a peace demonstration during which the border was briefly opened. About 600 citizens of East Germany seized the opportunity to flee the Communist regime,and Arpad Bella let it happen. Just three weeks later,Hungary opened its borders.