Crisis-hit Germany celebrates 35 years since fall of Berlin Wall

This Saturday, Germany celebrates the fall of the Berlin Wall 35 years ago, in the context of the political crisis caused by the implosion of Olaf Scholz’s government coalition and the decline of democracy in the world.

The prospect of early elections dominates the German political landscape, as Scholz this week fired his finance minister, Christian Lindner, leading to the withdrawal of most liberal ministers and the collapse of the tripartite government he had formed with social democrats. . Environmentalist.

Despite this delicate context, the weekend festivities will try not to lose sight of the symbolism of this historic event that took place on November 9, 1989.

The ceremony’s motto, “Defend Freedom” has particular resonance at a time when democracy is in retreat around the world and wars continue, especially in Ukraine, Gaza and Lebanon.

In a video released Friday, government chief Olaf Scholz declared that the values ​​of 1989 “cannot be taken lightly.” “A look at our history and the world around us shows this,” he said.

To embody these ideals, replicas of posters from the 1989 demonstrations and thousands of other posters on the theme of freedom created by today’s citizens were installed along the 4 km route of the former route of the wall.

The installation passes by the Reichstag building, the Brandenburg Gate and the famous Checkpoint Charlie, the main east-west border crossing for foreigners.

According to German Culture Minister Claudia Roth, on the night of November 9, 1989, after weeks of demonstrations by East Germans, these symbolic places were the scene of “one of the happiest moments in world history”.

It was “a happy day” that also reminds us that “freedom and democracy have never been self-evident,” Berlin’s conservative mayor Kai Wegener declared at a ceremony attended by head of state Frank-Walter Steinmeier also attended. ,

– Guest dissatisfied –

The fall of the Wall, a symbol of the Cold War and division between the Western and Soviet blocs, led to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe and the reunification of Germany a year later.

The “Wall of Shame” was built 155 kilometers around West Berlin in August 1961 to stop the increasing exodus of people from the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR).

At least 140 people died trying to cross it.

In a speech, the German head of state is expected to address the current political crisis following the collapse of Scholz’s coalition, which has plunged Germany into uncertainty, with calls for early elections as early as 2025.

Jutta Kruger, 75, a former resident of West Berlin, believes it is “shameful” that this political crisis is coming now. “But we should still celebrate the fall of the wall,” the woman told AFP.

Activists from around the world were invited to attend the ceremony, which runs until Sunday, including exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and Iranian dissident Massih Alinejad.

Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot will give a concert in front of the former headquarters of East Germany’s deadly secret police, the Stasi.

– Constant differences between East and West –

“It is especially important to emphasize freedom at a time when we are facing the rise of populism, misinformation and social division,” stressed Jo Chialo, head of culture for the Berlin regional government.

Elections held in three regions of the former GDR in September highlighted the continuing political divide between East and West Germany.

The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved historically high results, while a new far-left group also did well.

Both parties oppose providing military aid to Ukraine against Russian aggression.

The weekend also marks the anniversary of Kristallnacht, the massacre carried out by the Nazis on November 9 and 10, 1938.

At least 90 Jews were murdered, thousands were deported to concentration camps, 1,400 synagogues were burned in Germany and Austria, and Jewish-owned businesses were destroyed.

“It is very important for our society to draw the right lessons from these events,” the German government stressed, at a time when the country is experiencing a resurgence in anti-Semitic acts following Hamas attacks in Israel. October 7, 2023, which started the war in the Gaza Strip.

JSK-ILP/SMK/FJB/GMO/MEB/MB