Berlin, the capital of Germany, recently buzzed with open-air concerts, art displays, and official gatherings to celebrate one of the pivotal moments in 20th-century history.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz reflected on November 9, 1989, calling it a lucky day that Germans still appreciate today.
The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961 and standing for 28 years as a symbol of Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, was built by communists to isolate East Germans from Western influences and to stop the mass exodus from East Germany.
This wall sliced through Berlin and its surrounding areas for a staggering 156.4 kilometers, affecting countless lives.
When that border finally came down 35 years ago, it wasn’t long before Germany reunited on October 3, 1990.
Nowadays, only remnants of the wall remain as tourist attractions. For Saturday’s anniversary festivities, organizers set up a temporary wall made of 5,000 posters created by both kids and adults under the theme We uphold freedom.
This installation drew many visitors—both locals and tourists—along a four-kilometer stretch where the former wall once stood.
The posters echoed the demands of East German protesters from fall 1989 for things like freedom of speech and press as well as travel rights while also incorporating modern-day aspirations.
They were crafted during workshops held in schools, churches, community art groups, and cultural initiatives.
Uphold freedom because without it everything else is meaningless, said Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner during an official event at the Berlin Wall Memorial alongside President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
He emphasized that freedom and democracy are not guaranteed; they’re under threat from various sources.
On Saturday night, around 700 musicians—both professionals and amateurs—were slated to perform simultaneously at different locations along what used to be the wall’s path.
They planned to play iconic songs like David Bowie’s “Heroes” and Marius Müller-Westernhagen’s “Freiheit” (freedom).
Lyrics would be displayed on screens so everyone could join in singing along! To cap off the celebrations on Sunday night was an expected performance by Russian dissident band Pussy Riot—a fitting finale for such an important occasion!