Germany is celebrating the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall this Saturday, November 9. The mayor of the city mentioned “a happy day” during a ceremony also attended by the head of state, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The destruction of this “wall of shame” in 1989 reunified Germany and brought about the fall of the communist bloc of Eastern European countries.
He was the symbol of the Cold War between East and West, between the free world and the communists. The Berlin Wall is collapsing with chisels and a thirst for freedom. Tim Eisenlohr was 16, he remembers: “Even today, I feel this incredible moment of joy, especially since it was peaceful, without a gunshot”.
This East German was the youngest detainee of the Stasi, the secret police. From a young age, Tim criticized the diet. He refuses to join the Communist Youth. The teenager prefers to attend church. In the basement, a library where we find books and newspapers, illegally entered by journalists and foreign diplomats.
“When I had to return the borrowed books, I was always late. I was stressed at the thought of encountering difficulties or that things would go wrong. I was afraid that the Stasi would arrest me or look for me”.
Resistance newspapers were also printed there. “My parents let me take part in all this when I was 14. It’s unimaginable today. But they told me, if you are arrested, you don’t speak until your father is present”.
In November 87, the secret police descended on the scene. Several people are arrested, including Tim, 14 years old. The news creates outrage all the way to the United States. Demonstrations are organized to demand his release.
Tim is released the next day. He continued his fight for two years until the wall fell.
Fall of the Berlin Wall Germany
Belgium
