- Title: Germany marks anniversary of Berlin Wall's construction
- Date: 13th August 2021
- Summary: STEINMEIER SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: "August 13, 1961, was a fateful day, for us Germans and also for the world, a day that destroyed dreams and hopes, that separated children from their parents and grandchildren from their grandparents. A day that interfered painfully and distressing in the lives of many." (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: "And a gate of all things, a gate that is the most natural symbol of passage, of free transit and meetings, of coming and going from here to there, a gate of all things, the Brandenburg Gate, became the centre point of the closed border. It not only became the symbol for the painful division of Berlin but a worldwide symbol of suppression of freedom and the longing for it, the stolen freedom." STEINMEIER SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN PRESIDENT FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, SAYING: "The obvious never happens by itself, we all must contribute to it being maintained and secured. History is made by us humans, in a good way or bad way. And August 13 reminds us of that. August 13, here in the middle of Berlin. Thank you very much." VARIOUS OF AUDIENCE APPLAUDING
- Embargoed: 27th August 2021 11:53
- Keywords: Berlin Steinmeier anniversary wall
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City: BERLIN, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA005EQ43FBB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Germany marked the 60th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall on Friday (August 13), with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier saying "the worst concerns for many Berliners, many Germans came true" on that day in 1961 when Communist East Germany started building what it called an "anti-fascist protection barrier" in the middle of the night.
Steinmeier, who holds a largely ceremonial role and grew up in what was then West Germany, told dignitaries gathered at Berlin's Wall memorial at Bernauer Strasse street that "August 13, 1961, was a fateful day, for us Germans and also for the world, a day that destroyed dreams and hopes, that separated children from their parents and grandchildren from their grandparents."
The Berlin Wall fell on the night of November 9, 1989.
East and West Germany reunified to become Germany on October 3, 1990.
(Production: Ulrike Heil, Ute Swart, Michele Sani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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