Germany will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall this weekend. Every country in the West should be celebrating too.
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Of course, the fall of the Berlin Wall (on November 9, 1989) led to the reunification of Germany. But it also led to the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of the (first) Cold War.
The tumbling of the Berlin Wall was as glorious as the bombing of the Twin Towers (on 9/11) was murderous. Yet both fateful events were so transformative that neither requires commentary for commemoration.
Therefore, I’ve decided to commemorate this anniversary by highlighting two German words.
According to the website of German Missions in the United States:
After the fall of the wall, the word Wendehals was used to describe East Germans whose political convictions did a 180-degree turn during reunification.
Of course, Wendehals would be used to describe Chinese, Russians, Cubans, and others if democratic forces suddenly tumbled the walls of their oppression too. And, unlike East Germans, none would need Begrüßungsgeld (“welcome money”) to do a 180-degree turn on political convictions imposed by their respective regimes.
Regardless, here’s to that historic day in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down.
Ich bin ein Berliner!
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