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Eyewitnesses to history

DW's Hardy Graupner

 
 

DW's Uwe Hessler

 
 

Voices

 
 
 
A small piece of the Berlin Wall at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin

November 9, 1989 - the day that changed European history

In a press conference on Nov. 9, 1989 GDR central committee spokesman Guenter Schabowski unintentionally announced that citizens could travel to West Germany immediately. It was the beginning of the end for East Germany. »

 
 
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Dossier: The events that led to the fall of communist Europe

Many were surprised when the border between East and West Germany was opened on the night of November 9, 1989. But there had been signs of increasing weakness in the Iron Curtain for the last year. For more, click here.  »

 
 
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Eastern Europe

 
 

Peace prayers

 
 

Fighting for freedom

 
 
 

Dossier: What life was like in communist East Germany

East Germans worked, cooked dinner and spent time with family and friends just like West Germans did. But they were also spied on by the Stasi and kept from leaving by the inner-German border. Click here to learn more.  »

 
 
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Multimedia Special

In pursuit of freedom: GDR escape stories

Explore Deutsche Welle's multimedia presentation of the dramatic stories of those who tried to escape from communist East Germany and the history of the Wall that was meant to keep them in.  »

 
An olive green Soviet-era Trabant is pictured near the Berlin Wall

Walled in! - The inner German border

For the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Deutsche Welle has developed a unique project in cooperation with the Berlin Wall Foundation: an animated depiction of the former German-German border.  »

 
 
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Dossier: The highs and lows of reunification

Soon after the Berlin Wall was opened, East and West Germany became one, unified country. But 20 years after the fall of the Wall, Germans are still coming to terms with their combined identity. Click here to read more.  »

 
 
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Learning from the past

The GDR

 
 

The Stasi

 
 

Hungarian secret police

 
 
 
Radio reports

Listen to Deutsche Welle reports on divided Germany and the fall of the Wall.

Historical picture gallery

A historical flash gallery leads you through from the division of Germany to reunification.

Video podcasting

Video reports

DW-TV takes a look at the Wall that divided Germany and what happened after it fell.

Picture gallery
A view through the window of the Palace of the Republic, with the East German emblem
Entertainment
Abrafaxe comic characters
Picture gallery
Business
Bottles at the Rotkaeppchen factory in Freyburg
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