Fall of the Berlin Wall: my little memory

(Testo in italiano a fondo pagina)

My bond to Berlin is very strong, those who know me are quite familiar with this feeling of mine. Every 9th November I like to join the chorus of memories of the Fall of the Berlin Wall, with a thought, a video or a song. This year, which is the 25th anniversary, I have decided to do it from here, from my blog.

In 1989 I was only 8 years old and I had a very little idea of where Berlin and Germany were and even less I knew what was happening there. However, I have a very vivid memory of 10th November 1989.

That morning, when my schoolmates and I arrived at school, we found on each of our 25 desks a copy of "La Stampa" (one of the best known daily newspapers in the area of Turin). We could hardly read our school book, just imagine a newspaper! Anyway, something important had heppened in the world: the border at the Berlin Wall had been opened. Our teacher had thought that even we, small kids, should have been aware of that event, which would have changed history, also our own (and she was so right!)
Each of us read aloud a part of the article, as we used to do during our usual lessons, then we had the content explained with the easiest possible words. We felt like grown up: we had a newspaper and we were talking about "things happening in the world".

14 years later Mary (me!) arrived in Berlin for the first time. I had obviously studied history by that time and I also spoke German but, when I found myself in front of the Berlin Wall ("our part of the Wall", as I usually call the East Side Gallery, because it is very near to the hostel we always stay at), the very first thought I had was that school day at 8 years old. As a child, I would have never guessed that that Berlin, about which I had read in adults newspaper, would have become so important to me.

If nowadays I can travel to the German capital (any time I have enough money...) and I can visit all the city with no limits or problems, it is thanks to those determined and brave berliners who fought to cancel all borders. This post is my THANK YOU.
At the same time I thank all present berliners: thay see us arriving in their city from all over the world, for our holidays or to stay, and they welcome us. May this welcome always be repaid with respect from our side.

I wish a good 9th november to all berliners: the native ones, those of adoption and those who feel berliners in their soul (as I do).

Hugs

Mary

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Il mio legame con Berlino (chi mi conosce lo sa bene) è molto forte e, ogni 9 novembre, mi piace unirmi al ricordo dellla caduta del Muro con un pensiero, un video o una canzone. Quest'anno, che è il venticinquesimo anniversario, ho deciso di farlo da qui, dal mio blog.

Nel 1989 io avevo solo 8 anni e una vaga (vaghissima) idea di dove fossero Berlino e la Germania e ancor meno di cosa stesse accadendo laggiù. Però ho un ricordo ancora molto vivo del 10 novembre 1989.

Quel mattino, quando io e i miei compagni siamo arrivati a scuola, su ognuno dei nostri 25 banchetti abbiamo trovato una copia del giornale "La Stampa". Noi sapevamo a malapena leggere il nostro libro di lettura da scuola elementare, figuriamoci un quotidiano! Ma nel mondo era successo qualcosa di importante: era caduto il Muro di Berlino. La maestra aveva ritenuto che anche noi piccoletti dovessimo essere al corrente di quell'evento che avrebbe cambiato la storia, anche la nostra (e se aveva ragione!).
Avevamo letto un pezzo di articolo a testa, ad alta voce, come quando facevamo lezione normalmente, poi ci era stato spiegato il contenuto con le parole più semplici possibili. Ci sentivamo grandi: avevamo il giornale e parlavamo di "cose successe nel mondo".

Quattordici anni dopo, la Mary arrivava a Berlino per la prima volta. Ormai la storia l'avevo studiata e parlavo anche tedesco ma, quando mi sono trovata davanti al Muro ("la nostra parte di Muro", così sono solita chiamare la East Side Gallery, perchè vicinissima all'ostello in cui solitamente soggiorno), il primo pensiero che ho avuto è stato il ricordo di quel giorno di scuola, a 8 anni.
Sicuramente da bambina non avrei mai immaginato che quella Berlino, di cui avevo letto nel giornale degli adulti, sarebbe diventata così importante per me.

Se oggi ho la possibilità di viaggiare verso la capitale tedesca (ogni volta che le finanze me lo permettono...) e visitare tutta la città, senza limiti o problemi, è grazie ai caparbi e coraggiosi berlinesi che negli anni hanno lottato per abbatterne i confini. Questo post è il mio GRAZIE.
E ringrazio anche tutti i berlinesi di oggi, che ci vedono arrivare numerosi da ogni parte del mondo, per le vacanze o per rimanere, e ci accolgono. Cerchiamo di contraccambiare sempre questa accoglienza con il rispetto!

Buon 9 novembre a tutti i berlinesi: a quelli nativi, a quelli d'adozione e a quelli che si sentono berlinesi nello spirito (come me).

A presto,

Mary

25th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Dear All,

Since a couple of weeks I've started collaborating with the on line magazine Berlino Cacio e Pepe.

I am very happy for this new chance I was given, since I've been reading their articles regularly for some years now.

Last week my first post was published in their website:

Beethoven, David Bowie e palloncini luminosi; una grande festa di strada per celebrare la Berlino riunificata

The text is in Italian only, but I can provide you with a little summary.

On 9th November 2014 Berlin will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. For such occasion a huge street party is being planned.  

Two days before the anniversay date, 8.000 white illuminated balloons  will be placed along the 15 km of the former Wall line and, in the night of 9th November, the ropes that tie them will be cut, letting them fly in the sky. During this procedure, Simphony No. 9 of Beethoven will be played. The impact will be highly emotional.

There will be both entertainment and discussion. Some dissidents of the former East Germany will talk about life at the time of the German Democratic Republic and about the night in which the Wall police opened the border, pressed by people determination. In the following hours, hundreds of people crossed that line, along those same meters where many compratriots of theirs lost their lives fighting for their ideas.

Music will have a key role too during the celebration, several performances have been announced, among those: the Berlin State Orchestra, Paul Kalkbrenner (techno musician from Leipzig), a breakdance troupe, etc... .
As some of you probably know, in the last few weeks fell another particular anniversary: the 37th year since when Heroes by David Bowie was published. The song is a symbol of Berlin, not only because it was written in the Hansa Studios when Bowie was living in the city, but also because the lyrics talk about two lovers at the time of the Wall, with all their dreams denied.

Heroes official video

In occasion of the party for the 25th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall, Peter Gabriel will perform Heroes live!

I can only imagine how many people will be in Berlin's streets that night, with all their stories and emotions. I think of those who experienced personally the first crossing of the border between East and West Berlin 25 years ago and also of the new Berliners, those arrived there in the last few years, following their dreams and their hopes in the city which was living a second birth. 

For what concerns me, well, I wish I could be there on 9th November, but unfortunately it won't be possible. I will be standing next to you with my thoughts, old and new Berliners.

Take care.

Mary