Deutsche Welle marks the anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down by teaching its readers the history surrounding the events of 1989. Aiming a spotlight on Mikhail Gorbachev, the article mentions that he was a key actor at the time – his policies on reform and openness were a far cry from the harshness of the Kremlin in decades past. DW points out that Eastern Europeans tended to see Gorbachev as an inspiration; other countries wanted to imitate his glastnost and perestroika policies, where activists pushed for democratic discussions with communist leaders. Poland and Hungary showed the beginnings of change, as the communist party began to lose power in more ways than one. Discontent rose and people grew emboldened all across the European continent, gathering together for demonstrations. “We are the People!” was the cry heard during the marches of the protesters in Germany, and not too long afterwards was the Berlin Wall taken down. The dissolution of the Soviet Union eventually came as well, and the rest is history. Full article in English:

Le Monde this week writes how Europeans have recently marked the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall in sombre, funeral-like fashion. With pessimism lately reigning due to the divisions in ideologies present in the continent, the editorial points out that there is a nostalgia that is felt by the anniversary. The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the beginning of a series of changes – the reunification of Germany, the disappearance of the Soviet Union, and the “death of communism” as a totalitarian regime. There was also a “naïve hope” that emerged at the time – a belief that the East would immediately become accustomed to the West. What reality shows, however, is that history is not usually as linear, nor society as quick to adaptation. Globalisation, counterrevolutions, digitalisation, and other transformations were factors that disrupted societal equilibriums. Nonetheless, the events of 1989 have brought on tremendous progress in many ex-bloc countries. The article concludes that the troubles of today are not proof of a failed revolution, but rather to take into account the lessons taught by history – not to dwell on nostalgia. Full article in French:

Digi24 writes about the Berlin Wall as not only a physical barrier, but as a psychological one as well. The article includes some of the thoughts that went through the minds of interviewed Eastern Germans, and how the effects of the Berlin Wall continue to persist even today. For example, for some, the wall made the Eastern Germans feel as though they were second-rate citizens in comparisons with their counterparts in the west. For others, it took more than a decade to come to terms with the fact that the physical (and ideological) barrier was no longer present, that both sides of the city were in fact part of one Berlin. The wall had essentially separated people in a multitude of ways – it had destroyed, in equal measure, both destinies and mentalities. Digi24 concludes by saying that the most powerful symbol of the Iron Curtain and the Cold War produced many stories in terms of separation, unification, and lessons for future generations. Full article in Romanian:

In similar fashion to the other articles above, El Pais uses the 30^th anniversary as a reason to momentarily look back on the happenings of the past and to reflect on the present. In the article, four witnesses of the events of 1989 give their opinions and accounts on the matter, thirty years on. Germany is no longer divided into two entities, and three decades and significant investment has managed to close the gap between Western and Eastern Germany. Despite this, however, the article showcases that the “black and white story is blurred” – today’s history is marked by a gray area, in which people refuse to forget about the past. Partially due to the extreme right becoming very vocal in recent times, El Pais mentions that some people may lament the past, as they do not feel as recognised or as dignified as those who were initially from the West. One of the interviewees mentions that the reunification following the fall of the Berlin Wall was more of an “adhesion”, or an assimilation to the Western system. Utopia or not, the event brought tremendous change to the lives of many – and the effects are still felt today. Full article in Spanish: