Germany is preparing to commemorate a historic event of great importance: 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The celebration, entitled “Let’s preserve freedom!”, will take place against a tense political backdrop, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressing the importance of liberal ideals that emerged in 1989. In a message to the nation, Scholz warned that such values should not be taken for granted, highlighting how recent history and current events demonstrate the fragility of democracy.
November 9, 1989 marks a crucial date: the East German dictatorship opens its borders to the West after months of peaceful demonstrations. This step laid the foundation for German reunification and the collapse of communism. During the celebrations, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner described the day as “a happy day,” but also warned that freedom and democracy are gains that must be defended. The commemorations will take place at the Berlin Wall Memorial, honoring the 140 people who lost their lives trying to escape the German Democratic Republic. Guests of honor will include pro-democracy activists from around the world, including Svetlana Tikhanovskaya from Belarus and Masih Alinejad from Iran.
The anniversary will be marked by a series of cultural events, including concerts, meetings and art exhibitions along the four kilometres of the former route of the Wall. Culture Minister Claudia Roth called these celebrations “one of the most joyful moments in world history”. Replicas of the 1989 protest signs and thousands of images created by citizens on the theme of freedom will be on display. In a video message on the eve of the celebrations, Scholz described the fall of the wall as the “happy culmination of a pan-European development.” He recalled the contribution of Eastern European countries in the fight for freedom and emphasized how relevant the values of unity, peace and democracy still are. With tens of thousands of visitors expected for the commemorative event and a large art installation featuring 5,000 posters, the celebrations represent not only a moment of reflection on the past but also a call to action to preserve democratic values in the future.
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