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Historical Information: Tearing Down the Wall

Twenty years ago, on June 12, 1987, during a
visit to the divided German city of Berlin,Large demonstrations against the government
U.S. president Ronald Reagan publicly andsystem of East Germany took place over the
memorably challenged Soviet leader Mikhailthree months from September through November.
Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." Reagan'sOn October 18, Erich Honecker, East Germany's
trip to Berlin, a historical moment to sayhead  of  state,  was  compelled  to  resign.
the least, coincided with the former German
capital's  750th  anniversary.Subsequently the new East German government
prepared a law to lift travel restrictions
Reflecting an earlier speech by Presidentfor citizens. In the early evening of
John F. Kennedy, Reagan also said, "StandingNovember 9, a member of the new government
before the Brandenburg Gate, every man is awas asked at a press conference when the
German, separated from his fellow men. Everyrevised travel law would come into force. He
man is a Berliner, forced to look upon aanswered: "Well, as far as I can see . . .
scar."straightaway,  immediately."
The wall was erected in 1961, ostensibly toIn response, thousands of East Berliners
keep the fascists out. However, it was inflocked to the border crossings. At
fact built to keep the oppressed people ofBornholmer Strasse, people demanded that the
East  Germany  in.border be opened--and it was--at 10:30 p.m.
That moment spelled the end of the Berlin
Just two years after Reagan delivered hisWall. Soon other border-crossing points
most famous sound byte, the wheels came offpeacefully opened their gates to the West,
the Eastern European communist wagon.and people pulled chunks off the wall not
Gorbachev had begun to make fundamentalonly as souvenirs, but also to symbolize the
changes to Russian policies beginning incoming destruction of the entire hated
1985. His reforms, dubbed "Perestroika"barrier.
(restructuring) and "Glasnost" (openness,
transparency) were billed as a renewal, not aOn December 22, 1989, the Brandenburg Gate,
replacement  of  the  communist  system.backdrop to Reagan's speech, was opened. Less
than a year later, on October 3, 1990, the
The reforms in the Soviet Union soontwo  Germanys  were  reunited.
resonated across the other communist
countries, especially in Poland and Hungary.Perhaps the most surprising lesson of the
On August 23, 1989, Hungary opened the Ironcascading events that took place in this
Curtain to Austria, and East German touristsmoment in history is during the 16 months
seized the chance to escape there. Duringbetween President Reagan's speech and the
just three days in September 1989, more thanfall of the wall is how quickly the shape of
13,000  fled  East  Germany  via  Hungary.the political landscape can change.



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