Chapter 22 talked about Communism in Russia and China. I admit that I am a bit ignorant when it comes to understanding Communism especially when it came to other countries. Chapter 22 was especially insightful for me and I found myself remembering a neighbor who had traveled to Europe when I was about 8 years old. He came back with gifts for my sisters and I and he brought us each a piece of the Berlin Wall. I was way too young at the time to understand the significance. I am not sure if I still have the piece of the wall; a part of me hopes that it is tucked away in some box in my attic somewhere.
The fall of the Berlin Wall had begun with the building of the Wall in 1961. However it took about three decades until the Wall was torn down. Several times people in the Communist countries rose up against the Communist system but failed.
In 1989 the first free labor union was founded in the communist Poland. The end of the communist system had begun.The Soviet Union could control their satellites yet but with the new leader Gorbatshov their politics changed in 1984. The reforms in the Soviet Union also had its effects on the other communist countries, especially in Poland and Hungary.
On August 23, 1989 Hungary opened the iron curtain to Austria. Months before East German tourists used their chance to escape to Austria and Hungary. In September 1989, more than 13,000 East German escaped via Hungary in 3 days. It was the first mass exodus of East Germans after the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
Mass demonstrations against the government and the system in East Germany begun at the end of September and took until November 1989. The new government prepared a new law to lift the travel restrictions for East German citizen. At 06:53 pm on November 9, 1989 a member of the new East German government was asked at a press conference when the new East German travel law comes into force. He answered: "Well, as far as I can see, ... straightaway, immediately."
Thousands of East Berliners went to the border crossings. At 10:30 pm the border opened. Other border crossing points soon opened to the West and by December of 1989, the majority of the Berlin Wall had been destroyed.
Cool picture and article Gia. I also remembering the coming down of the wall. I remember a feeling that things were changing. I also remember being proud of the US. It felt as though there was a cold war victory. Something I also think I remember was that the western side of Berlin had economic troubles as so many had tried to move over from the broken east side that the city just wasn't ready to handle the new "immigrants".
ReplyDeleteYou may have a piece of history. Hopefully you can find it. As a child you probably thought it was just a piece of cement. I also remember watching people hammering on the wall.
ReplyDelete