Celebrate - and never forget

The city of Berlin has its own way of handling special occasions. Most times, the city management turns to shopping. And this Sunday, November 9, was no different: to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall, shops were exceptionally allowed to open their doors. Whether they were marking the joyful anniversary of the 1989 revolution or the more somber memory of the 1938 pogroms, people on the street were encouraged to do what they do every day: shop.

But that, thank God, wasn't all. Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people rediscovered Berlin this weekend and the memory of the wall that divided East and West and the city for 28 years. This was all thanks to the hauntingly beautiful idea of the "Wall of Light." More than 7,000 balloons, spread along 15 kilometers (about 9 miles) following the former course of the Berlin Wall, attracted both tourists and locals.

An enchanted city

For days, they followed its path - and rediscovered the traces of the former wall. Whether at noon or at midnight, visitors crowded most sections of the installation. Tourists translated the German and English informational texts for each other, as Berliners talked about the differences between then and now. Some were thoughtful and silent, others were joyful. Many shared their own memories, sometimes hesitantly, almost stammering. "It was much worse ..."

That's what makes November 9 so special. The remembrance of the 1989 revolution really doesn't need an official ceremony, it has become a celebration in itself. The official ceremonies at the Bundestag on Friday and at the Konzerthaus on Sunday were similar: they both relied on the TV images of this happy night in 1989, they both needed these touching memories.

And, of course, in the speeches given at these events, all referred to the German Democratic Republic, the former East Germany, as an "unjust state," the fall of the Berlin Wall as a "miracle." Some speeches were more serious: Chancellor Angela Merkel made reference to the increasingly difficult situations in Ukraine, Syria and Iraq, making Sunday's celebrations even more admirable in comparison.

Worship services kicked off this Sunday, November 9. While the service at the Chapel of Reconciliation on Bernauer Strasse with Merkel and other dignitaries was fit for TV, passersby were not allowed to take part. Church communities on both sides of the former death strip celebrated without official guests and elaborate broadcasting technology, but with thousands of mainly young people together in the Mauerpark. The mood, once again: cheerful, thankful and quietly elated.

Merkel lights a candle - one of many

After her worship service Merkel, Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and other high-level guests headed over to the Berlin Wall memorial to leave candles, signs of remembrance. They joined candles a few hundred meters away in neighboring streets, some which had already been burning for at least 10 or 12 hours.

These candles were placed on sidewalks near the "Stolpersteine" (in English, "stumbling blocks"), the brass cobblestones that serve as a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Nazi era. A sign that amidst the celebrations, Berliners have not forgotten neither the Kristallnacht pogrom of 1938, nor the subsequent murder of millions of Jews.

It was a wonderful weekend to mark the 25th anniversary. As this November 9 drew to a close, the "Wall of Light" broke apart and the balloons floated up into the sky. Yes, the public holiday to mark Germany's reunification is on October 3 - chosen by the politicians. But the people prefer to celebrate November 9, this complex day of destiny for the German people - with all its dignity, gravity and joy.