Roland Fricke

The year 1989, I can remember very well. No other date represents for me the time of change as these months in Berlin. Just two months before the Wall fell, I arrived at that time - West Berlin to begin my studies. From the quiet Black Forest into a bubbling city with no closing time and even with so many contradictions. The 9th November 1989 was the highlight par excellence. What happened during that night was incredible for everyone involved. Now when I try to recall what happened to me, it is like to feel it once again. Even Today!
That night, everything happened so quickly. Just in the student dormitory in Lichterfelde-West, then the news, there are people on the wall and with the car - (seven of us!) - straight to the Brandenburg Gate. Some already on the top of wall, screaming: the wall must fall. Of course, we were climbing up on the wall. It did not take long, then above it was very cozy. We decided to go in the direction Invalidenstrasse.
There it was very crowdy - in both directions. Joy, laughing faces dominated the scene - and unbelieving GDR guards who had liked to hide themselves. To the question: “How far we can go for here?”, there was only incomprehension. We are “Wessies” just entered East Berlin. The tram conductor in East Berlin told us to be crazy when we asked: “Where is the next party?”. Well, we went to Unter den Linden in direction to the Brandenburg Gate - this time from the east side.
When we arrived at the Pariser Platz, no police, no guards. Just waiting some East Berliners who stood bravely behind the barriers. We have not hesitated, climbed the low barriers to the Brandenburg Gate. The feeling was incredible, walking through the Brandenburg Gate in that night. People waving and laughing everywhere. When all the people saw the way that we walked through the gate, they jumped to hundreds of the wall to do the same. Again - Incredible!

Later the east german police started to clear the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate. We had to climb on the wall. What happened next in memory it was quite risky. The situation worsened more and more. We joyfully screamed, “We are the people” against the east german police men who had build a long chain in front of the Brandenburg Gate. From minute to minute, the aggression on the wall increased. Then standing close to border of the wall I was forced to jump down. Sh …, I thought. But what I saw was another of the incredible moments that were so numerous that night. Hundreds of people jumped from the wall as well. Quiet - but excited, we went in the direction to the police. Before the chain, an excited man who called out to his people: “Be not provoked.” We broke the chain without problems, no fights, no arrests. Applause as we walked through the security barriers on the other side on the Pariser Platz again.

My buddies and I spent the rest of the night at the hotel bar at a hotel on the Dorotheenstrasse. Six West-Mark for the east beer “Berliner Pilsner” and hearing Rias2 - the radio from west-berlin. About eight clock, we went on the Friedrichstrasse back to the West. Unbelievable - at that time.

Today, my buddies who were with me at the Berlin Wall at the Brandenburg Gate at 09th to 10th November 1989 we are still best friends. This experience binds us forever.

Roland Fricke