This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/berliners-party-like-its-nov-9-1989/2014/11/09/c5995d91-3fce-42c8-b550-e9338fb51ec9_story.html?wprss=rss_world

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Berlin Wall fall anniversary: Partying like it's Nov. 9, 1989 Berlin Wall fall anniversary: Partying like it’s Nov. 9, 1989
(about 1 hour later)
BERLIN – This spirited city was commemorating the 25 th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Sunday by doing what it does best — throwing one heck of a party. BERLIN — This spirited city was commemorating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on Sunday by doing what it does best — throwing one heck of a party.
Hundreds of thousands of celebrants were streaming toward the Brandenburg Gate on a cold and cloudy afternoon, joining a massive street fest honoring a day in history that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. Along a 9-mile stretch of the wall’s former route, the city has strung up thousands of illuminated white balloons. Volunteers were preparing to release them tonight to the sounds of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” Hundreds of thousands of celebrants were streaming toward the Brandenburg Gate on a cold and cloudy afternoon, joining a massive street fest honoring a day in history that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War. Along a nine-mile stretch of the wall’s former route, the city has strung up thousands of illuminated white balloons. Volunteers were preparing to release them Sunday night to the sounds of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”
Their rise into the night sky was meant to symbolize the end of division in this once-split metropolis. Afterwards, though, Berliners were preparing to throw solemnity to the wind, reveling in an open-air mega party with the sounds of techno music thumping through the streets. Their rise into the night sky was meant to symbolize the end of division in this once-split metropolis. Afterward, though, Berliners were preparing to throw solemnity to the wind, reveling in an open-air mega party with sounds of techno music thumping through the streets.
Inaugurating a new exhibition at the Berlin Wall Memorial on Sunday, Merkel called the fall of the wall the “happiest moment in our recent history.” Inaugurating a new exhibition at the Berlin Wall Memorial on Sunday, Chancellor Angela Merkel called the fall of the wall the “happiest moment in our recent history.”
“The fall of the wall has shown us that dreams can come true,” she said. “Nothing needs to remain the same no matter how high the hurdles may be.”“The fall of the wall has shown us that dreams can come true,” she said. “Nothing needs to remain the same no matter how high the hurdles may be.”
The joy of the moment was tempered by ponderance of the dark days of division as well as foreboding for the future. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev – in town for commemoration ceremonies — warned that the world was “on the brink of a new Cold War.” The joy of the moment was tempered by reflections about the dark days of division as well as foreboding for the future. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev — in town for commemoration ceremonies — warned that the world was “on the brink of a new Cold War.”
He referenced Russian interests in Ukraine, where Moscow stands accused of seizing the Crimean Peninsula and backing rebels seeking independence in the eastern part of the country. Gorbachev — a sometimes critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin — nevertheless blamed the West for boxing Russia into a corner in the years after the Wall fell. He referenced Russian action in Ukraine, where Moscow stands accused of backing rebels seeking independence in the eastern part of the country. Russia also annexed Ukraine’s autonomous Crimean Peninsula in March. Gorbachev — a sometimes-critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin — nevertheless accused the West of boxing Russia into a corner in the years after the Berlin Wall fell.
“Euphoria and triumphalism went to the heads of western leaders,” he insisted in comments on Saturday. “Taking advantage of Russia’s weakening and the lack of a counterweight, they claimed monopoly leadership and domination in the world.” “Euphoria and triumphalism went to the heads of Western leaders,” he insisted in comments on Saturday. “Taking advantage of Russia’s weakening and the lack of a counterweight, they claimed monopoly leadership and domination in the world.”
Built in 1961, the Berlin Wall was meant to halt the tide of defectors from the repressive and communist East Germany into West Berlin. Over the years, at least 138 people would die trying to cross the No Man’s Land dividing the city. The wall, built in 1961, was meant to halt the tide of defectors from the repressive and communist East Germany into West Berlin. Over the years, at least 138 people would die trying to cross the no man’s land dividing the city.
Hit by massive protests and a resurgent flood of defectors, East German authorities ultimately agreed to allow crossings starting Nov. 10 th, 1989. But an announcement a day early caused a flood of East Germans to rush the wall on Nov. 9th, with shocked guards watching on as scores of civilians scaled its ramparts. East German authorities, hit by massive protests and a resurgent flood of defectors, ultimately agreed to allow crossings starting Nov. 10, 1989. But an announcement a day earlier caused a flood of East Germans to rush the wall on Nov. 9, with shocked guards watching on as scores of civilians scaled its ramparts.
Today, only fragments of the wall remain. Much of it was smashed to smithereens and sold off or taken as souvenirs. But many in this city will never forget what once stood there. Today, only fragments of the wall remain. Much of it was smashed to smithereens, and parts of it were sold off or taken as souvenirs. But many in this city will never forget what once stood there.
“The horror of the wall is hardly imaginable for young people today,” said Frank Ebert, a former East German dissident and one of the organizers of the balloon event on Sunday, called the Lichtgrenze – or border of light. Though only 19 years old at the time of the wall, by then, he had already been arrested several times. “The horror of the wall is hardly imaginable for young people today,” said Frank Ebert, a former East German dissident and one of the organizers of the balloon event on Sunday, called the Lichtgrenze — or border of light. Ebert, although only 19 at the time of the fall of the wall, had already been arrested several times.
“Whenever I’m at the Brandenburg Gate or at Bornholmer Straße [border crossing], I think about the wall and where it used to stand. We used to see it every day.” “Whenever I’m at the Brandenburg Gate or at Bornholmer Strasse [border crossing], I think about the wall and where it used to stand. We used to see it every day.”