20 years of unification! Wooooo!

[Bjoern]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-1990-1003-400%2C_Berlin%2C_deutsche_Vereinigung%2C_vor_dem_R eichstag.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_Unity_Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_reunification


Twenty years ago today, my home country stopped existing and everything that belonged together got together. Peacefully!

:ernae:

[Quicksand]

I wish my Mom, who was German, could have lived to see it..:salute:

[kilo delta]

I remember it well. Happy anniversary,Bjoern.

Btw...you do know that it was all down to this guy?...

http://www.dreadcentral.com/img/news/oct07/hoff.jpg

:icon_lol::running::icon29:

[TARPSBird]

The German people should be proud that it all happened peacefully. I remember seeing a lot of wine/champagne bottles in the videos when the wall came down, sure beats guns and tanks. :d

[TeaSea]

As a former Cold Warrior, who spent two Christmas's in a row freezing his arse off away from his wife and infant son doing duty on the IGB in the vicinity of Coburg I can only say.....


You're welcome.



I was fortunate enough to be in Germany when the wall fell.

[Panther_99FS]

Has it been this long already? :ernae:

[rayrey10]

...Btw...you do know that it was all down to this guy?...

Here's the proof! :bump:


0zXiClnK8oE

[lifejogger]

It was an amazing time and I am glad it happened.

[Bushpounder]

One Germany. One people. Forever!

Don

[Bone]

I'll never forget watching the Wall being brought down by all of those citizens. Happy anniversary!

[Quixoticish]

You're welcome.


So it wasn't the Hoff that brought the wall down, it was you? ;)

[Bjoern]

Btw...you do know that it was all down to this guy?...


:icon_lol::running::icon29:

Buggar off. :icon_lol:




You're welcome.

For what?


But speaking of: Thanks to Hans-Dietrich Genscher, Thomas De Mazière, Roland Dumas, Eduard Schewardnadse, Douglas Hurd and James Baker for coming to an agreement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_the_Final_Settlement_with_Respect_to_Ger many

It was them who actually removed the last roadblock for the reunification.

[Bushpounder]

I agree. Where in Germany are you from, Bjoern?

Don

[Bjoern]

Eight years in the east.
Thirteen years in the west.
Two years back in the east and counting.

[Bushpounder]

My family originally came from Spreenhagen.

Don

[Bjoern]

My family originally came from Spreenhagen.

First time I've heard of this place, but according to Wikipedia, it's not too far from Berlin (I was born in the eastern part of the capital).

When and why did they emigrate?

[Bushpounder]

I don't know the reason why they moved, and probably never will. They moved to the U.S. in 1886. Anyone who knew why has long since died. Yes, it is not too far outside of Berlin. I can trace my family in that area back to the 1690's.

Don

[Bjoern]

They moved to the U.S. in 1886. Anyone who knew why has long since died.

The oracle, err...Google says this:


The last peak was reached between 1880-1890 when more than 1.4 million German immigrants arrived. Many German immigrants in 1880-1890 were Catholics seeking refuge from Bismarck's cultural struggle. Otto Van Bismarck felt threatened by the Roman Catholic political party which had gained a large number of seats in the parliment. To protect Germany from what he saw as an external power, he proceeded to close the Catholic schools and also had some bishops and priests imprisoned.http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ourfamilytrees/gerim.html (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Eourfamilytrees/gerim.html)

Ah, the good old Otto. Always fooling around with clerics and socialists. :d