Berlin tonight: 8,000-LED illuminated balloons instead of a deadly wall

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

More than 100,000 tourists from around the globe and proud “Berliners” walked along a 15-km route in the city center of Berlin on Saturday where the Berlin Wall once stood.

More than 100,000 tourists from around the globe and proud “Berliners” walked along a 15-km route in the city center of Berlin on Saturday where the Berlin Wall once stood.

Berlin Wall’s peaceful fall was a miracle. These are the words of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who grew up in the German Democratic Republic known as communist East Germany:

It’s a proud moment for Germany, for Berlin and for the free world. The German capital installed 8,000 LED-illuminated balloons mounted along 10 miles of what once was the border that separated East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.Balloons are perched 3.6-metres high on poles – matching the height of the Wall.

Celebrations were seen everywhere in Germany’s capital, but also a word of concern made a high profile impact.

Former Soviet president Gorbachev spoke in Berlin at the Adler hotel at a forum to avoid another cold war. Amid the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, he called on western leaders to de-escalate tensions and meet Russia halfway to mend the current rift.

Ukraine may have set the scene for the current confrontation, but it can also become a focus for reconciliation between Russia and the West, according to Gorbachev. He called for the parties to join forces and help Ukraine overcome the consequences of the civil war it is currently going through.

The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to stop East Germans fleeing to the West. It began as a brick wall and was then fortified as heavily guarded 160 km (100 mile) double white concrete screen that encircled West Berlin, cutting across streets, between families, and through graveyards. At least 136 people were killed trying to flee to West Berlin and many ended up in jail for their attempts to escape.

A peaceful East German revolution brought down the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9, 1989. This was 25 years ago today.

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Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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