Thirty years ago, in a moment that symbolized the end of the Cold War, the Berlin Wall fell. The anniversary was celebrated Friday by hundreds of students at Utah Valley University. For most, the pivotal event was known only from the pages of history books. History was brought to life at UVU through the construction and graffiti painting of a wall replica. Students were also treated to bratwurst, a guarded security checkpoint, and an opportunity to see a rare East German car, the Trabant.
"It's been a really great opportunity for my students to gain an appreciation for the historical significance of what happened," said Albert McFerson, a German teacher at Lehi Junior High School. "They've had a great time learning more about German culture. It's been really fun to see the Trabant, the border crossing, and especially watching this ‘Berlin Wall’ come together."
It was the wall’s coming apart on November 9, 1989, that was met by worldwide rejoicing. After nearly three decades, the solid concrete wall with its watchtowers, barbed wire, shooters, and security checkpoints fell. It occurred just minutes after a radio station announced travel restrictions would be lifted for East Germans. Freedom and unity replaced fear. Families divided by the wall were reunified. Decades of protests ended, and people no longer faced death in their attempts to leave East Germany.
Landon Braden, an electrical engineering student at UVU, said he enjoyed helping students pass through "Checkpoint Charlie." He assisted them with a temporary visa that they'd show to the border guard to get through “the wall." He said he hopes students learn how much of a difference it can make — the kinds of walls they can dismantle, the kind of borders they can cross — when they stand up for what's right.
Lauren Droubay, president of the UVU German Club, said that her favorite part of the event was watching what students created as they built a replica of the Berlin Wall.
"The whole idea with hosting this event is that we're celebrating the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall," said Droubay. "But it's more than that. We're living in a very tense political and social environment, where people don't really accept other people. And so, when the students are building this wall, they have the opportunity to think about the walls that they have in their lives and what they'd like to tear down in their lives to make themselves better."
UVU German Program Director Jeff Packer organized today's festival to help remind students about the event that effectively marked the end of the Cold War.
Thirty years ago, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, I had the opportunity to live in East Germany," said Packer. "I experienced many of the events around the reunification firsthand. It played an important role in the formative years of my career in German studies. For today's students, however, the events of 30 years ago might as well be ancient history. I think it is important for people to be reminded about this peaceful revolution that marked the end of the Cold War, and why tearing down walls is often far better than building them up."
Today, little remains of the once massive wall. The remaining stretch of the wall near Ostbahnhof now lives as the East Side Gallery, home to 105 paintings from artists all around the world.
"Germany is a microcosm of human culture," said Packer. "It represents the best and highest of the human experience and the possibilities about what we are capable of. On the other hand, with the Nazi period, Germany has also exposed the darkest side of inhumanity. Studying German language, culture, and literature allows students to discover these potentials within themselves while exploring an endless variety of topics."
We're living in a very tense political and social environment, where people don't really accept other people. And so, when the students are building this wall, they have the opportunity to think about the walls that they have in their lives and what they'd like to tear down in their lives to make themselves better.
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