Further Media
Students of the Vineta School in West Berlin visit the opened Border Strip a few days after the Fall of the Berlin Wall. In a class assignment, they reflect on their impressions and experiences of the fall of the Wall and the border installations. Alongside the clay figure they create, the children and teenagers record their thoughts in school essays. The topic: "What I experienced when the Wall was opened."
On Thursday, November 9, 1989, my family and I were at a birthday party with friends. In between, my mom was watching the news, and suddenly we found out that East Germany had opened the border. As we drove home around 10 p.m., we passed the Prinzenstraße border crossing and saw many happy people. People were toasting with champagne, and many were crying with joy, including my mom. When we got home, we called our friends and family. The next day, we had our first visit. Our friends told us that they had been showered with confetti at the border and their car had been decorated with streamers. I think all of this was very beautiful, and it probably brought many families and friends back together again.
On Friday, November 10, 1989, when I was with my friends, one of them wanted to go to the Wall. None of us wanted to go at first, until a stranger came up to us and said the Wall was being opened. My friends and I ran as fast as we could. When we arrived, there were people everywhere. All of us who were there were happy. Everyone who stayed until the Wall was opened was joyful. Occasionally, East soldiers came with a ladder and took pictures. We all waved at the soldiers. A few hours later, East workers started making holes in the Wall. Later, they used a tractor to push the Wall bit by bit until it was open enough for people from the East to cross comfortably. When the first people came over, we rejoiced together with them.