We are Germany
How to celebrate our National Day We don‘t like big bonfires. We don‘t like big torchlight processions We had too much in German History Reichstag fire February, 27th,1933 January 31st, 1933 Berlin May, 10th, 1933 Book burning
Two German Countries - separated for more than 40 years, by the cold war, a wall and political interests of different political systems - have to learn to be one nation, one country. Have to learn to speak one language. We have to learn to be a new generation of proud and self-confident people in a beautiful and peaceful country.
The end of World War 2 opens a new gate for a democratic Germany
? WHEN?, WHAT?, WHY? You may think:" What's the problem, guys?” Follow us! Let’s jump into the time machine to get a brief overview of German National Day History. ? Let‘s run… May, 8th October, 3rd May, 23rd October, 7th November, 9th June, 17th August, 13th
German Democratic Republic Between 1945 and 1949 Germany and also Berlin were divided in 4 sectors. The economic, political, and cultural development in the British, American and French zones of occupation were totally different from the development in the Soviet sector. The result were two German states with two different political and economic systems. German Democratic Republic October, 7th 1949 Federal Republic of Germany May, 23rd 1949
Life went on, until August 13th, 1961 changed everything. The Government of the GDR began to build a wall in Berlin, both German states should be disconnected for decades and an iron curtain went through Europe.
Summer of 1989 The wall separated Germany, families, a whole nation for 40 years. All that changed, as in the summer of 1989 the small GDR got into the general public interest. Peaceful GDR citizens gathered in churches to discuss and reflect the future of their country. The protest got louder and louder. The so called “Monday demonstration” became a big movement. Thousands of GDR citizens tried to leave the GDR with the help of the German Embassies in Prague and in Hungaria. They tried to enforce their free departure to the Federal Republic of Germany. The GDR government got under big pressure and they had to allow these thousands to leave the GDR. More and more Monday civil rights activists met in Leipzig and protested in silence, with candles against the GDR Government policy
Impressions of an unforgettable Year 1989 Monday in Leipzig Impressions of an unforgettable Year 1989 Embassy of the FRG in Prague
Happy days The Berlin Wall is History
My own wall-pecker pictures - handmade Brandenburg Gate, from the east November, 13th 1989 ”I was so enthusiastic that I came directly to Berlin and I saw how a legion of wall-peckers tried to tear down the wall.“
A new Nation is born October, 3rd 1990
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.