20th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Started by Zanza, November 09, 2009, 12:33:55 PM

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Syt

Well, I was 13 at the time, a late Cold War kid with nuclear warheads less than two miles from my house. While it was a quite euphoric and tumultous time (in all of Europe) it's not been something with "direct" impact on me at that point. I had no relatives there, was two hours away from the border (my family had no car) and to this day I haven't been to any other city over there except a short class day trip to Wismar in 1991, a visit to Dresden in 1998 and to Leipzig in 2007. Still haven't been to Berlin, either.
I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Warspite

Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:14:04 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 09, 2009, 12:44:29 PM
That era was rather unique as good news just kept coming.

It was like everything and anything was possible now that the cold war was ending.  How did we go so wrong? :(

Events, dear boy, events.  :bowler:
" SIR – I must commend you on some of your recent obituaries. I was delighted to read of the deaths of Foday Sankoh (August 9th), and Uday and Qusay Hussein (July 26th). Do you take requests? "

OVO JE SRBIJA
BUDALO, OVO JE POSTA

Barrister

Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:14:04 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 09, 2009, 12:44:29 PM
That era was rather unique as good news just kept coming.

It was like everything and anything was possible now that the cold war was ending.  How did we go so wrong? :(

It's not exactly all sunshine and roses, but I'll take 2009 over 1989 any day.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

Grey Fox

But it's only because in 2009, you get to have sex on a regular basis.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

Razgovory

Quote from: Barrister on November 09, 2009, 02:26:37 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:14:04 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 09, 2009, 12:44:29 PM
That era was rather unique as good news just kept coming.

It was like everything and anything was possible now that the cold war was ending.  How did we go so wrong? :(

It's not exactly all sunshine and roses, but I'll take 2009 over 1989 any day.

I happened to have liked 1999.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

crazy canuck

Quote from: Barrister on November 09, 2009, 02:26:37 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:14:04 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 09, 2009, 12:44:29 PM
That era was rather unique as good news just kept coming.

It was like everything and anything was possible now that the cold war was ending.  How did we go so wrong? :(

It's not exactly all sunshine and roses, but I'll take 2009 over 1989 any day.

Ok, but how old were you in 1989?  It was a magical time.  In hindsight we can look back and see that the euphoria was overly optimistic but the sense of euphoria was real.

katmai

Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:45:21 PM

Ok, but how old were you in 1989?  It was a magical time.  In hindsight we can look back and see that the euphoria was overly optimistic but the sense of euphoria was real.

From a pic you'd think he wasn't even born in '89.
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son

Razgovory

I was only 8 when this happened.  I vaguely recall it.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Barrister

Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:45:21 PM
Quote from: Barrister on November 09, 2009, 02:26:37 PM
Quote from: crazy canuck on November 09, 2009, 02:14:04 PM
Quote from: Valmy on November 09, 2009, 12:44:29 PM
That era was rather unique as good news just kept coming.

It was like everything and anything was possible now that the cold war was ending.  How did we go so wrong? :(

It's not exactly all sunshine and roses, but I'll take 2009 over 1989 any day.

Ok, but how old were you in 1989?  It was a magical time.  In hindsight we can look back and see that the euphoria was overly optimistic but the sense of euphoria was real.

You misunderstand me.  I meant today versus the time when the Berlin Wall still stood.  We haven't gone all wrong - things have gone much better since the fall of communism.

I was 14 in 1989, so I remember it well.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

KRonn

I also remember that day; a very historic day to me. I grew up through some of the height of the Cold War, like some of you others here, so that day seemed such a huge happening. It was a surprise, apparently the wall coming down wasn't expected or planned really. It was after years of some change and easing up of things in some Eastern Block countries, Poland especially with Solidarty, and Hungary.

To this day it amazes me the mind set to gun down citizens trying to leave the country. The leaders had to know they had problems when they needed fences, barbed wire, land mines, and guards with orders to shoot to kill. What a travesty.

Zanza

Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2009, 02:17:04 PMStill haven't been to Berlin, either.
You've missed out. I can't understand how there are Germans that have never been to Berlin.  :huh:

Admiral Yi

I've seen Wings of Desire so I don't need to go to Berlin.

katmai

Quote from: Zanza on November 09, 2009, 02:59:33 PM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2009, 02:17:04 PMStill haven't been to Berlin, either.
You've missed out. I can't understand how there are Germans that have never been to Berlin.  :huh:

Like Americans who haven't been to NYC? :unsure:
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son

Barrister

Quote from: katmai on November 09, 2009, 03:03:33 PM
Quote from: Zanza on November 09, 2009, 02:59:33 PM
Quote from: Syt on November 09, 2009, 02:17:04 PMStill haven't been to Berlin, either.
You've missed out. I can't understand how there are Germans that have never been to Berlin.  :huh:

Like Americans who haven't been to NYC? :unsure:

Some Americans have to travel a lot farther to get to NYC than do any germans to get to Berlin.
Posts here are my own private opinions.  I do not speak for my employer.

katmai

Quote from: Barrister on November 09, 2009, 03:05:47 PM
[
Some Americans have to travel a lot farther to get to NYC than do any germans to get to Berlin.

I know, i realized it as a Martinquese analogy as soon as i typed it.
Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son