I am from Berlin, born in West Berlin in 1969. I was at the Checkpoint Charlie in the afternoon of the 9th of November. In the morning of 9.11.1989 nobody, absolutely NOBODY, could have predicted that a misunderstanding regarding a public announcement from a gathering of DDR-politicians regarding the freedom of travel for DDR citizens, would cause the fall of the Berlin wall just a few hours later. (Incidentally, that means "nobody in the entire world," with the alleged exception of Mr. Sarkozy.) The wall came came down on a misunderstanding. Checkpoint Charlie was still closed at 10 pm (Bornholmer Strasse was open since 8:16 pm). There were too many people on the western side - the policemen from the DDR (Volkspolizisten) were afraid that the masses would press towards East Berlin. They only wanted (or were only allowed) to let the East-Berliners out, not to allow us [West-Berliners] into East Berlin. Around 11 pm the crowd [at Brandenburger Tor] drew back, and the Volkspolizisten opened the border crossing. But still only in one direction. It was still not possible for us West-Berliners to go to East Berlin. Nobody went from west to east on that evening. Nobody. It is furthermore absolutely certain (dead certain), that there was no graffiti on the East Berlin side. Nobody except the border guards could get close to the east side of the wall - they would have been shot. This photo is certainly not taken on 9.11.1989. It is also not taken in East Berlin. Do not abuse MY history, Mr. S.!
In the morning of 9.11.1989 nobody, absolutely NOBODY, could have predicted that a misunderstanding regarding a public announcement from a gathering of DDR-politicians regarding the freedom of travel for DDR citizens, would cause the fall of the Berlin wall just a few hours later. (Incidentally, that means "nobody in the entire world," with the alleged exception of Mr. Sarkozy.) The wall came came down on a misunderstanding.
Checkpoint Charlie was still closed at 10 pm (Bornholmer Strasse was open since 8:16 pm). There were too many people on the western side - the policemen from the DDR (Volkspolizisten) were afraid that the masses would press towards East Berlin. They only wanted (or were only allowed) to let the East-Berliners out, not to allow us [West-Berliners] into East Berlin. Around 11 pm the crowd [at Brandenburger Tor] drew back, and the Volkspolizisten opened the border crossing. But still only in one direction. It was still not possible for us West-Berliners to go to East Berlin. Nobody went from west to east on that evening. Nobody. It is furthermore absolutely certain (dead certain), that there was no graffiti on the East Berlin side. Nobody except the border guards could get close to the east side of the wall - they would have been shot. This photo is certainly not taken on 9.11.1989. It is also not taken in East Berlin.
Do not abuse MY history, Mr. S.!
- Jake If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.
In fact what the photo shows is Sarko chipping a bit of artwork from the western side. On any date you like from the 10th to the 16th, which is now being quoted in France as the real date Sarko and Co went to Berlin.
