How an accident caused the Berlin Wall to come down
Once events make their passage from news of the day into history books, it is hard to imagine that they could have happened any other way. They’re history, after all. And 20 years later, the fall of the Berlin Wall seems like that kind of history — a world-changing event that we commemorate and celebrate, its heroes and villains well established, its images and significance clearly comprehended.
I remember this. I lived in Wiesbaden at the time. I remember hearing nothing, then all of a sudden the wall was open. I had visited East Germany with my dad just months before and it was depressing. I also remember the mood of the German people after this event. The country was revitalized, happy, electrified. It was amazing.
