20 years of the fall of the Berlin Wall (73 photos) Bashny.Net

The Berlin Wall - Engineering equipped and fortified state border of the German Democratic Republic and West Berlin length of 155 km, including in-dash Berlin



November 9, 1989 under the influence of mass popular demonstrations GDR government lifted restrictions on the message to West Berlin, and on July 1, 1990 completely abolished border controls. During January to November 1990, all border facilities were demolished, except for segment 1, 3 km, left as a monument to one of the most famous symbols of the Cold War
In 19 hours, 34 minutes, speaking at a press conference that was broadcast on television, the GDR government spokesman Guenther Schabowski announced the new rules of entry and exit from the country. According to the decision, the next day GDR citizens could obtain visas for an immediate visit to West Berlin and West Germany. Hundreds of thousands of East Germans, without waiting for the appointed time, rushed to the evening of November 9 border. Border guards who did not receive orders, first tried to push the crowd, using water cannons, but then, yielding to the pressure of the mass, were forced to open the border. Welcome visitors from the East came thousands of residents of West Berlin. What is happening reminds folk festival. The feeling of happiness and brotherhood away all barriers and obstacles government. West Berliners, in turn, began to cross the border, a breakthrough in the eastern part of the city.