( http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/nov2006/friedrichw1110.htm )

German History: November 9, 1989

Berlin-East (GDR (communist state "German Democratic Republic")).

November 9, 1989, 7 p.m.:

Live-broadcast international press conference given by GDR Politburo member Günter Schabowski.

The party leadership had decided to let anyone who asked have an exit visa starting the next morning. Schabowski announced this new law at the press conference...reading from a sheet of paper ( http://www.the-berlin-wall.de/schabowski-maueroeffnung.jpg ).

An Italian correspondent (Riccardo Ehrmann) asked him when people in the GDR were finally going to be allowed to cross the German-German border.

Schabowski first looked confused, stutters and inadvertently answered: "If I am informed correctly....this regulation becomes effective ....immediately..."

This response, a simple misspeak, led to the fall of the Berlin Wall the same evening.

Upon hearing these unbelievable words, first a few... then more and more ...finally thousands begin their journey to the West. The border guards do not know how to react to the mass movement of people. To avoid a general riot they open the checkpoints.

Unforgettable impressions: East and West German fall into each other’s arms.

Sources:

http://www.the-berlin-wall.de/89.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Wall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnter_Schabowski

and others. (I still remember vividly the dramatic radio news of that evening.)

“...The fall of the Wall was certainly sudden, but not without preparation. Key elements of this preparation included the new politics of the Soviet Union under Gorbachev since 1985; the courageous reform movement, Solidarity, and the resulting free elections in Poland in June of 1989; and Hungary's September decision to open the Iron Curtain a few months later. For East Germany, two movements in the fall of 1989 were the actual immediate cause for the Wall to open. One was the flow of emigrants from East Germany via Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland to West Germany. The other was a series of ever-more powerful non-violent demonstrations for change in the major East German cities. These demonstrations had their start in church prayer meetings for peace in the face of the threat of nuclear war.

After weeks of police brutality against people trying to demonstrate after these prayer meetings, 70,000 demonstrators in Leipzig and 10,000 in East Berlin on Oct. 9, 1989, faced the real and publicly announced danger of a "Chinese solution," i.e., a police massacre. The East German government backed down from the use of violence on that evening, something none of the demonstrators could have known in advance. From that point on, the government lost control of its people, making Nov. 9 merely the culmination of this process....” http://www.nd.edu/~observer/11091999/Viewpoint/6.html

(Monday demonstrations in GDR http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_demonstrations_in_GDR )

"The events in fall 1989 (St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig)

"Nikolaikirche - open to all" became reality in autumn 1989 and surprised us all. After all, it united people from the whole of the former GDR: those who wanted to leave the country and those who were curious, regime critics and Stasi (State Security Police) personnel, church staff and SED members, Christians and Non-Christians beneath the outspread arms of the crucified and resurrected Jesus Christ. In view of the political reality between 1949 and 1989, this defies all imagination. It became reality. Exactly 450 years after the introduction of the Reformation in Leipzig, 176 years after the Battle of Nations in Leipzig. Now it was Leipzig once more.

From 8 May 1989, the driveways to the church were blocked by the police. Later the driveways and motorway exits were subject to large-scale checks or even closed during the prayers-for-peace period. The state authorities exerted greater pressure on us to cancel the peace prayers or at least to transfer them to the city limits. Monday after Monday there were arrests or "temporary detentions" in connection with the peace prayers. Even so, the number of visitors flocking to the church continued to grow to a point where the 2.000 seats were no longer sufficient. Then came the all-deciding 9 October 1989. And what a day it was!

There was a hideous show of force by soldiers, industrial militia, police and plain-clothes officers. But the opening scene had taken place two days before on 7 October, the 40th anniversary of the GDR, which entered into GDR history as Remembrance Day. On this day, for 10 long hours, uniformed police battered defenceless people who made no attempt to fight back and took them away in trucks. Hundreds of them were locked up in stables in Markkleeberg. In due course, an article was published in the press saying that it was high time to put an end to what they called "counter-revolution, if necessary by armed forces". That was the situation like on 9 October 1989.

Moreover, some 1.000 SED party members had been ordered to go to the St. Nicholas Church. 600 of them had already filled up the church nave by 2 p.m. They had a job to perform like the numerous Stasi personnel who were on hand regularly at the peace prayers. What has not been considered was the fact, that these people were exposed to the word, the gospel and its impact! I always appreciated that the Stasi members heard the Beatitudes from the Sermon from the Mount every Monday. Where else would they hear these?

Thus, these people and Stasi members heard Jesus Christ's gospel which they didn't know, in a church they could not do anything with. They heard from Jesus who said: "Blessed are the poor!" And not: Wealthy people are happy.

Jesus said: "Love your enemies!" And not: Down with your opponent.
Jesus said: "Many who now are first will be last!" And not: Everything stays the same.
Jesus said: "For whoever will save his life shall lose it and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it!" And not: Take great care.
Jesus said: "You are the salt!" And not: You are the cream.

Thus, the prayers for peace took place in unbelievable calm and concentration. Shortly before the end, before the bishop gave his blessing, appeals by Professor Masur, chief conductor of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and others who supported our call for non-violence, were read out. The solidarity between church and art, music and the gospel was of importance in the threatening situation of those days.

The prayers for peace ended with the bishop's blessing and the urgent call for non-violence. More than 2.000 people leaving the church were welcomed by ten thousands waiting outside with candles in their hands - an unforgettable moment. Two hands are necessary to carry a candle and to protect it from extinguishing so that you can not carry stones or clubs at the same time. The miracle occurred.

Jesus' spirit of non-violence seized the masses and became a material, peaceful power.

Troops, (military) brigade groups and the police were drawn in, became engaged in conversations, then withdrew. It was an evening in the spirit of our Lord Jesus for there were no winners and no defeated, nobody triumphed over the other, nobody lost his face. There was just a tremendous feeling of relief.

This non-violent movement only lasted a few weeks. But it caused the party and ideological dictatorship to collapse.

"He dethrones the mighty ones and enthrones the weak ones." - "You will succeed, not by military power or by your own strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord", is what we experienced. There were thousands in the churches. Hundreds of thousands in the streets around the city centre. But: Not a single shattered shop window. This was the incredible experience of the power of non-violence.

Horst Sindermann, who was a member of the Central Committee of the GDR, said before his death:

"We had planned everything. We were prepared for everything. But not for candles and prayers" ..."

(written by Rev. Christian Führer, Nicholas Church, Leipzig http://www.nikolaikirche-leipzig.de/e/the_events_in_fall_1989/the_events_in_fall_1989.html )

Soli Deo Gloria

Praise the Lord

Maranatha

Come Lord Jesus

“Let my people go”