20 years and counting

9.11.09. Berlin. It was raining. I watched the celebration on TV at home. Home is in East Berlin, right next to the church, the home of the opposition some 20 years ago.

The majority of events we remember are unhappy ones, 1914, 1939, 1961, September 11... but this one is different. The event meant a lot to people across the world and still does. It stands for something, a peaceful liberation from a totalitarian regime, the idea that hope prevails and that liberty is a human right. A journalist friend of mine who had worked all day and night capturing people's impressions met people who had travelled from China, Korea and Palestine to witness the celebrations and to confirm their belief that change is possible.

Then I went to the scene myself against the stream of people leaving. Right in front of the Brandenburger Gate I met an old man who was playing the trumpet. He had lived in East Berlin when the wall was built and was unable to get out in time, leaving his father on the other side of the wall in the West. He then produced some pictures from the early 80s with him standing right there, where we were standing now, then a younger man.

I took an imge of the empty seats where the celebrities sat during the event and saw two familiar names of relatives of American presidents, Kennedy and Reagan. It was turning back the clock for a moment. The heroes of the revolution had mostly gone home by then, as had the symbolic wall which collapsed like domino stones. Audi advertising on big screens next to the Brandenburger gate, guess the celebration needed some funding. No idea why Bon Jovi played though earlier, a bit embarrassing.

As I was leaving I heard a German police officer saying: "You won't be able to walk through the gate tonight, please use alternative routes." At least this time there were some.