nov 9TH
November ninth is the 25TH anniversary of the day that the Berlin Wall came down. It was a peaceful revolution led by the East German citizens. The result was the reunification of Germany as one nation, under one government, with no interior borders. The fall of the Berlin Wall also helped bring about the fall of the Iron Curtain between Eastern and Western Europe. The breakup of the Soviet Union happened not long after that, in 1991. In the twenty-eight years that the Wall was up, over 100,000 East German citizens tried to escape to West Germany, and over 600 died.
November ninth isn't just the anniversary of
the Berlin Wall coming down for the Germans. It is also the anniversary of the Kristillnacht, or “Crystal Night.” This happened around the beginning of WWII, in 1938. This was when the Nazi party officially declared their hatred towards Jews. Jewish synagogues and other properties were destroyed on a huge scale. This night was given the name Kristillnacht because thousands of windows were shattered. Today, Germany is a totally different place. It has a great economy, and also is a leading force in science and engineering; however, nobody should forget the important history of this nation.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
by Nina Kirkman