The faster things fall apart the faster they come together. After a couple of weeks of tumbling trough family tragedy and foreign cities I'm back home. Of course, jumping on airplanes and buses and trains and cars brought home the reality of how far away I am from my family and friends but I am so pleased to be here (in Berlin) today to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This day marks one of the few days that rippled throughout the world and we all have our memories of where we were when we heard the news that the wall "that would possibly stand for another hundred years" (Erick Honecker, East Germany's leader, January 1989) fell.
Today is also the anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) - a horrible event in German (and Austrian) history when, in 1938, the Nazis attacked Jewish people and their property. "99 Jews were murdered and 25,000 to 30,000 were arrested and placed in concentration camps. 267 synagogues were destroyed and thousands of homes and businesses were ransacked. This was done by the Hitler Youth, Gestapo, SS and SA.
Kristallnacht was part of a broader Nazi policy of antisemitism and persecution of the Jews. Kristallnacht was followed by further economic and political persecutions and is viewed by many historians as the beginning of the Final Solution, leading towards the genocide of the Holocaust." via Wikipedia
So here we are at a time when genocide and wars still happen, when our loved ones suffer personal loss, when we mourn those who've been persecuted, targeted, tortured, or had basic human rights taken away. Yet we can also celebrate one day in history when millions of people took back their freedom.
Comments (3)
I was out in the rain at Potsdamer Platz just now but didn't stay right until the end because it was so wet. Seeing the fireworks and singing Berliner Luft together was something special though. I feel so good being here now and sharing this experience. Thanks for reminding us about Kristallnacht - it's strange how these events come together.
amazing, beautiful, reflection alexa. i'm sure it must be an incredible feeling there today...have been reading about it from here. i remember the stories my grandparents would tell of kristallnacht from my grandparents who were in hamburg at the time--in those stories i suppose are places where we find strength, lessons of history both personal and distant.
love to you my dear, debs
Thanks for the comments ladies. Vanessa - it turned out to be a really nice, quiet evening. I was expecting people to be dancing in the streets but I think the weight of the event and people's mixed emotions made it more of an introspective night. I was out in the rain and saw the dominos at Brandenburger Tor but left to go recreate the wall (Mauermob) in Kreuzberg. We ended up blocking the street with the Polizei looking on and kids shouting for freedom and the cars stopped, turned of their engines and we stood there with candles and smiles.
Deb - Wow, thanks for some personal perspective. I think of you often here and only want you to get over and see it for yourself!
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