Gorbachev, Kohl and Bush Sr. gather to celebrate Berlin Wall collapse
Published: 31 October, 2009, 19:56
Edited: 01 November, 2009, 03:19
A West Berliner prepares to hand over a FRG flag to East German Vopos through a portion of the fallen Berlin Wall near the Brandenbourg Gate early 11 November 1989 (AFP Photo)
(3.1Mb) embed videoTAGS: Anniversary, Politics, History
Three statesmen who oversaw the fall of the Berlin Wall 20 years ago reunited in Germany to mark the anniversary.
Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and the then US President George Bush Sr. were honored at a ceremony held in Berlin on Saturday.
"They all experienced the Second World War and its disastrous consequences, but the war did not indurate or paralyze them,” German President Horst Koehler was quoted as saying by the AP news agency. “Instead it sharpened their senses for the challenge to protect peace and to strive for freedom and justice."
Current Germany chancellor Angela Merkel also attended the ceremony.
The event ended with the German national anthem, a rare expression of nationalism in the country. The celebration is a part of jubilee festivities in the German capital, which will see its culmination on November 9, when the main event will be held in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
On that day, Merkel, Gorbachev and former Polish President Lech Walesa will visit a former border checkpoint in the Berlin-Pankov district. In 1989, Merkel was among the first to cross the border into West Berlin.
On November 9, 1989, East Berliners poured through the Berlin Wall checkpoints after weeks of street protests fuelled by Gorbachev's refusal to back East Germany's ruling communists.
The fall of the Berlin Wall heralded the collapse of communism in Europe and put an end to 40 years of a divided Germany.
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The Soviet Union was schuttled through economic failure and to make way for the 'NEW WORLD ORDER'. Bush Sr. was the new world order enabler and chief proponent. Planned or unplanned, this new world order has grave consequences for all of the world. The final product may turn out to be much worse than the Soviet Union could have imposed upon the world. The schuttling of the Soviet Union resulted from the alliance of Gorbachev, Bush Sr. and Kohl, along with many other lesser contributors. Perhaps it was all about the money as huge banking concerns had a field day on Russia as soon as the monetary collapse occured. Also, it enabled them to break up and buy up the Eastern block at excessively bargain prices. Now, the NEW WORLD ORDER has taken the Soviet Union's place as the EVIL EMPIRE and is pushing relentlessly for a one world government owned and operated by select billionaires who control the world's monetary systems and pretty much own the world and it's people.