I travelled
from my Hotel in Berlin to Berlin Vital Expo where the formal registration took
place for the Berlin Marathon. I am number 58,818.
It was a
most enlightening Taxi ride.
But I will
come back to that later.
Earlier in
the day, I joined a Fat Tire Tours Group for their “Berlin Wall and Cold War”
Tour. Our tour guide was Ciaran who hailed from Ireland. Our experience was
enchanting, educational, entertaining and thought provoking.
Ciaran took
us on a tour tracing the Cold War history of the East and the West, the events
preceding the raising of the Berlin Wall, the Eastern architectural changes
that occurred as “dictators” changed and the way of life of those in the East
compared to the West.
He outlined
with physical examples the efforts the East went to in order to protect their
way of life by inhibiting exposure to western culture, manipulating
information, restricting discussion and a regime of propaganda. Residents of
the East had little say in how they dressed, what the read and the music they
could listen too.
I wasn’t
exactly shocked to learn that one in nine residents of East Berlin were
registered secret police informers, but I was disappointed.
We learned
of children falling in to the river that separated east from west and how they
would be allowed to drown. If help came from the West, they would be shot as soon
as they entered the water and if help came from the east, the saviours would be
shot also, by their own under suspicion of attempting to escape.
We went to
the Russian Memorial and learned about the history that resulted in its
establishment. We also learned about the Berliner’s less than complimentary
take on the centrepiece of the memorial referred to by Russia as being the
Unknown soldier.
We also heard
about the events that lead to the fall of the Berlin wall and these are well
worth researching because at the end, a “stuff up” at a press conference
directly hastened reunification.
Something
that came as a surprise to me was learning that a few years after the fall of
the Berlin wall, many of those previously living under the suppression of the
East wanted the wall to go up again.
In the East,
they lived a controlled, consistent life with job security and life certainty.
Each day was a mirror image of the last. When Germany became “whole” again,
they were subjected to market pressures because “the state” no longer provided
for them. Many struggled to adapt.
Back to my
Taxi journey.
My driver
was older than me. He asked why I was going to the Vital Berlin and was
impressed I had travelled to Berlin to run their marathon. Berliners have great
pride in their marathon.
He asked
about my day and my reply resulted in further discussion and me asking if he
was from the East of the West. He was from the East.
He was very
clear that the falling of the wall was positive in all ways. He conceded many
struggled to survive in the new world of the west but said the concern they
expressed about this were with the security and knowledge the wall was never
being re-instated.
He said the
struggles he has faced as an under educated East Berliner of the separatist
days finding regular and reliable work since re-unification are irrelevant compared
to the freedom of thought and expression he has enjoyed for nearly 30 years.
He told me
he was 21 years old when first locked up for political insubordination.
Further, he told me he has no idea what he did or said that resulted in being
locked up at 21 years of age.
I gathered
he was incarcerated on several subsequent occasions.
He admitted
he was a free-thinking young Eastern Berliner who despised the subservience his
family, friends and countrymen had been subjected too. He said he was also
aware of the rules however his concerns must have filtered through to his
everyday way of life.
He suggested
that those who say they want the wall restored, do so for political reasons and
in reality, do not want a return to separate states and all the fear that
brings. However, my taxi driver is most proud that they get to express their
desire because for so long, opinions were not allowed.
It was a fascinating
day, made even more so by my short taxi ride that brought the learnings of the
day in to reality.
I also suspect very many people here will have similar stories to tell, and tell them they should.
I also suspect very many people here will have similar stories to tell, and tell them they should.
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