The fall of the Berlin Wall

On the 9th of November 1989, 25 years ago, the Berlin Wall fell. Many books have been written on the historical and socio-politics consequences of this event and many will be written in the future.
My life, among many others, has changed due to the fall.
Between September and October 1989, I was in East Germany for some strange coincidence: having finished high school final exam and waiting for the first year of University courses, I joined my brother travelling for work on the other side of the iron curtain.
Most of the time I was alone and I didn’t speak German at all. I wondered in cities and villages of a surreal world: almost empty streets, very silent people, desolate restaurants and very beautiful touristic attractions like deserts.
I felt like an alien.
In Leipzig I saw demonstrations of students asking for freedom: en enormous parade full of people but completely silent!
Grown-up showed resignation and routine, youngsters spread hope and will for change.
I saw the wall from both sides. Eastern one was grey, it sprang out between buildings, barbed wire and often soldiers. Passing beneath Check-point Charlie I feared being imprisoned and tortured, having some money concealed in socks and listening to soldiers asking questions in an authoritative way. Western side was chaotic, so many colours, runways to give the impression of walking on the wall, too much marketing. I was almost happy to return in Eastern Berlin, probably because I was free to go away after some days.
Back home I had many souvenirs; on top of them the will of thousands youngsters to interrupt the regime, but the wall looked unbreakable.
After a month, it fell!
I was so happy, incredulous, an event full of hope, the opportunity to unite a population, cancel borders, start an important route towards peace.
After University I started working on European cooperation and, some years later, Resolvo was founded, a Berlin wall fall spin-off.

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