Comments on: Twenty Years Ago Today http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2009/11/twenty-years-ago-today/ - the blog formerly known as bookish Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:36:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Mary http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2009/11/twenty-years-ago-today/comment-page-1/#comment-6018 Mary Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:55:40 +0000 http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/?p=1803#comment-6018 I was an American child living in Germany when the Wall went up--so I remember it vividly. Within a year or so, my family visited West Berlin (taking the night train through E. Germany). A frightening trip as the E. German guards (with large rifles) periodically searched the train during the night to make sure no E. German had gotten aboard or was hanging from the machinery under the train to get into W. Berlin. The saddest sight I can remember was watching two grandparents standing at the wall on a Sunday morning and using a compact mirror to flash a signal to their loved ones in East Berlin---soon, a flash came back, then each side knew that for another week they were still alive. At that time people were still attempting to cross over the barricades...many dying - and their makeshift memorials lined the street. It was a powerful and lasting lesson on the price of freedom. I was an American child living in Germany when the Wall went up–so I remember it vividly. Within a year or so, my family visited West Berlin (taking the night train through E. Germany). A frightening trip as the E. German guards (with large rifles) periodically searched the train during the night to make sure no E. German had gotten aboard or was hanging from the machinery under the train to get into W. Berlin. The saddest sight I can remember was watching two grandparents standing at the wall on a Sunday morning and using a compact mirror to flash a signal to their loved ones in East Berlin—soon, a flash came back, then each side knew that for another week they were still alive. At that time people were still attempting to cross over the barricades…many dying – and their makeshift memorials lined the street. It was a powerful and lasting lesson on the price of freedom.

]]> By: Karie http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2009/11/twenty-years-ago-today/comment-page-1/#comment-6013 Karie Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:11:34 +0000 http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/?p=1803#comment-6013 @KM: Yup, we got the "hide under the tables" drill too! I really believed in them too until my cousin told me the truth. @DK: Strange - I don't think we've ever talked about this despite meeting only a few years later. I thought about you yesterday. @KM: Yup, we got the “hide under the tables” drill too! I really believed in them too until my cousin told me the truth.

@DK: Strange – I don’t think we’ve ever talked about this despite meeting only a few years later. I thought about you yesterday.

]]> By: Darth Ken http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2009/11/twenty-years-ago-today/comment-page-1/#comment-6012 Darth Ken Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:33:38 +0000 http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/?p=1803#comment-6012 It's one of the world-events that stand most vivid in my mind. I saw some footage on german tv today ... I got weepy ... I kid you not. I have been thinking a lot about single images capturing a whole event in your mind today. One of the famous photos from the event is also one of a select few defining images for me ... I am of course talking about the photo of an almost desperate hank grasping through one of the first holes in the wall, grasping for another hand to hold. The image of that hand reaching through a small hole in the concrete wall, and one hand reaching to grasp it is just so powerfull in my mind. For me it encapsulates the whole thing. (Sorry for ranting a bit, I fell quite moved and happy today) It’s one of the world-events that stand most vivid in my mind. I saw some footage on german tv today … I got weepy … I kid you not. I have been thinking a lot about single images capturing a whole event in your mind today. One of the famous photos from the event is also one of a select few defining images for me … I am of course talking about the photo of an almost desperate hank grasping through one of the first holes in the wall, grasping for another hand to hold. The image of that hand reaching through a small hole in the concrete wall, and one hand reaching to grasp it is just so powerfull in my mind. For me it encapsulates the whole thing. (Sorry for ranting a bit, I fell quite moved and happy today)

]]> By: Kirsten Marie http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/2009/11/twenty-years-ago-today/comment-page-1/#comment-6011 Kirsten Marie Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:16:47 +0000 http://www.fourth-edition.co.uk/?p=1803#comment-6011 Geez, those nuclear-drills scared me. Maybe because my teacher was laughing at the thought that we would all melt(!) no matter how hard we hid under the tables. What a nice man, that one. Geez, those nuclear-drills scared me. Maybe because my teacher was laughing at the thought that we would all melt(!) no matter how hard we hid under the tables. What a nice man, that one.

]]>