The Berlin Wall was the 26-mile memorial to the oppression of the East German government; its stones mocked the people that desired freedom and peace. Between 1961 and 1989, at least 170 people died trying to cross into West Berlin.
Violent intentions
After World War II, the USA and the USSR fought for power all over the world. They had wars and showdowns in Korea, Vietnam, space, Cambodia, Cuba, the UN, Afghanistan, The Philippines, Eastern Europe, and of course, Germany. Each side was convinced of two things:
- they were right
- the other side was going to attack
Most people responded to this fear of attack by calling for more weapons. Therefore, the USA and USSR had a race. They raced to see who could have the most weapons when the killing began. Our leaders did not think it was odd that we were racing to the death.
Nevertheless, do not forget that the East German Government (the proxy of the USSR) constructed the Berlin Wall to keep people in Berlin, not to keep Americans out of Russia.
Reagan threatens
Ronald Reagan made an impassioned speech on 12 June 1987 in West Berlin; he said, “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Why didn’t Gorbachev come? Why didn’t the USSR tear down the wall? Because the request was made in the spirit of war. Reagan and Gorbachev were the latest leaders of the Cold War; neither side would listen as long as violence and threats were the lifestyle.
Prayer and candles
About that time, six people in Leipzig, Germany started a prayer group. They gathered at St. Nicholas Church each Monday night and prayed for peace. Afterwards, they would stand outside with a candle for one hour.
Each week, their numbers grew. They would sing, pray, march, and hold candles. The church could hold 2,000 people, but that was too small to hold all of Germany’s desire to be free from oppression. Monday 16 October 1989 saw 120,000 people in the streets of Leipzig; there was no violence. There were non-violent demonstrations all over East Germany.
The wall topples
On 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall was torn down. Was it Mr. Gorbachev that tore it down? Was it Ronald Reagan? Was it the new president, George Bush? No, it was Germans. It was peaceful, unarmed Germans. They did not loot, they did not riot, and they did not kill; they tore down the divisions of hate supported by the threats of Cold War violence.
A leader of the Communist Party in East Germany said, “We had planned everything, we were prepared for everything, but not for candles and prayers.”
Non-violence wins again
Six candles in Leipzig did more to topple the Berlin Wall than 6,000 missiles in Western Europe.
