What is all that, Iron Curtain, Berlin Wall,

Czech Velvet Revolution?

What happened in 1989?

A very brief account of the struggle for freedom

The iron curtain had been separating the east and the west of Europe for decades. Politicians of the communist regimes were afraid that people emigrate to the West in large numbers. For travelling into West Germany after 1961 East Germans below 65 had to take considerable bureaucratic hurdles, for many it was simply not possible. Usually only those who agreed to collaborate with the regime as spies were allowed to travel to the West.

Spring 1989 - Iron curtain opened in Hungary, as the Communist Party no longer ruled the country: border to Austria open from May onwards, Hungary allows many East-Germans (=people from German Democratic Republic) to travel to West-Germany

Change was in the air all over. A certain movement towards reforms was noticeable in several states, particularly in Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. This went along with Michail Gorbatschow - then president of the Soviet Union - introducing new politics, for example did he announce disarmament and allowed far-reaching political changes to take place. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1990.

The increasing atmosphere of crisis in East Germany from 1980 onwards made many people have serious scepticism towards their system. Gorbatschow caused new hope among East Germans, the more adventurous try to leave the country in ever rising numbers.

Ever more people take to the streets to express their discontent: Monday demonstrations take place in many cities, an enormous wave of protest goes along with the celebrations of 40 years of GDR (=East German state under communist rule).

October 17, 1989: A huge peaceful demonstration in Berlin

In October 1989 up until 3500 East Germans = GDR-citizens are able to enter the West German embassy in Prague - they want to travel to the West, 17 000 in total are allowed to emigrate after negotiations with the West.

Many tears of happiness were shed by people meeting again

after having been separated for decades!

East Germans entering West Germany via Czech Republic and Hungary, later on directly

November 9th, 1989: People all over Eastern Europe witness the Fall of the German Wall

Poland already had a government with a non-communist head then, three days later in Bulgaria the communist party government was overthrown with its leader more than three decades in office.

VELVET REVOLUTION 1st students’ demonstration in Bratislava: November 16, 1989

There was another huge student demonstration in Prague the next day with more than 15.000 people participating. As about 600 people were injured by security forces there was a wave of protest and strikes, Prague theatres’ actors joined the strike soon – these were, as we know, the beginnings of Velvet Revolution.

December 5, barbed wire fences between Austria and Czech Republic are cut

Later in December, 1989: Cutting of fences between Germany and Czech Republic

So what we are experiencing today is the freedom our parents’ generation

fought for.

We have been taking it for granted since the Nineties,

let’s do our best to make the most of it!

Let’s find out more until March!