47th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall

[Cold_Zero]

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/func....html

Germany marks 47th anniversary of Berlin Wall

Germany is marking the 47th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall. Speaking at a memorial ceremony in Berlin, Parliament President Norbert Lammert urged that the memory of Germany's division and its victims be kept alive. Lammert and Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit laid wreaths at a memorial at one of the few sections left standing of the Wall. Communist East Germany started building the barrier on August 13, 1961. The Berlin Wall was one of the most notorious symbols of the Cold War and separated the city until November 9, 1989.

[rn79870]

I'd think that would be something they would want to put in the past and keep in the past. Marking the anniversary doesn't make any sense.

[telcoman]

I'd think that would be something they would want to put in the past and keep in the past. Marking the anniversary doesn't make any sense.

It is a chilling place to visit and learn what some of those people had to go thru. Very sad

Dec 2006 visit



Telcoman

[Jager]

I'd think that would be something they would want to put in the past and keep in the past. Marking the anniversary doesn't make any sense.

remembering what was, and how bad it was, and making sure it never happens again. this may be a german mentality, but the berlin wall is the last remaining proof of the horrors of the cold war.

My german teacher (rest her soul) visited in '68 and she told us the stories about realizing that basic necessities like fruit and bread were not availible at all on the east side without serious looking, how the secret police were all kinds of nasty, etc.

when the wall came down there are photos of east germans flush with west german money (they got a thousand deutschmarks around 8-900USD at the time) and most were astounded at something as simple as a supermarket, or a luxury car that wasnt owned by a politico.

the wall is the we can never let this happen again reminder of what was, and what the german people cannot ever be again.

[smockers83]

Yeah, it serves as a reminder of what happened and to not let it happen again. One of my GSIs for an economics class was from East Germany, he had some stories. Wasn't the best teacher I had, but that's besides the point.

[telcoman]

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/func....html

Another memorable anniversary today

Good ole days

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock_Festival

Telcoman

[Soravia]

I don't know. Obama might meet with Putin without pre-conditions and surrender the east for world peace.