East Berlin. West Berlin. Berlin. This week of 4-10 November 2019 is a very special one in the German capital because it celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall with storytelling events and art. This autumn, I am still processing this week and the 6 months since I live here.

9 November 1989

You can’t talk about Berlin without thinking about the ‘fall of the wall’. The Peaceful Revolution that ended the Cold War started 30 years ago. In numbers, the wall existed for 10,316 days. And 160km or 100 miles was the path along the former Wall. Is being said the first border crossings to open was at Bornholmer Strasse.

The motto of the people demonstrating on the streets of the city could be heard: „Die Mauer muss weg!” (“The Wall must go!”).

To mark this occasion, 7 open-air storytelling exhibitions “were planned at historic locations in Berlin.”

• Kurfürstendamm
• Brandenburg Gate
• Schlossplatz
• Alexanderplatz
• Gethsemane Church
• East Side Gallery
• the former Stasi headquarter

A large-scale art installation by American artist Patrick Shearn at the Brandenburg Gate showcases 30,000 messages of peace from residents in Germany floating above the Straße des 17. Juni from November 4th under the title: “Visions in Motion.

Durch Mauer gehen ~ Walking through walls. I remember very well the Vernissage at beautiful Gropius Bau Museum in September. The exhibition to remind us that „is in the nature of walls one day to fall“, even if real or invisible.

Was also mentioned that “Walking Through Walls takes the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall as point of departure in order to capture the emotional, psychological and physical impact of tangible and metaphorical walls.”

Talking to berliners, I feel an imaginary wall still exists in some people’s mind. The same way we all former around or inside us other types of psychological invisible walls.

I also read that the citizens of East Berlin confusion and disappointing followed the euphoria after the first weeks when reality kicked in. I am glad the exhibition focuses also on all emotions that are part of life – the disappointment, illusions, joy, grief, acceptance.

9 November 2014

The first time I visited Berlin 5 years ago, at the 25th anniversary since the fall of the Wall. An art installation as a border made of balloons that were lighting at night was commemorating the events. To this day – one of the most unforgettable and unique event I attended.

The traces of the wall are almost gone in the city today, with the exception of certain parts that were left intentionally as the Wall memorial or the East side Gallery.

It’s easy to forget thought how brutal was that concrete wall. So I will remember the emotion of those days, because 8,000 balloons along the former route of the former Wall made it real to imagine were a real border used to exist.

When balloons were released at the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin State Orchestra was playing “Ode to Joy” of Beethoven, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim.

9 November 2019

One more thought today. Those events shaped the city of today. I can’t believe that this city where I live was once divided and I am glad we are always reminded how fast freedom can be lost. How a foreign city became familiar and important. Almost home.