Berlin Wall Collapses

1989 the East German government struggles to resist reform.  The politburo decided on a complex and restricting new policy for limited travel to the West. 

The man given the job of announcing the new policy was politburo member Guenter Schabowski. When his fellow Communist leaders decided on the new regulations he was out of the room. He skimmed the policy and headed off to the press conference. 

The order was to be phased in starting the next day.  Schabowski’s announcement was complicated, bureaucratic, badly thought out.  Pressed on the meaning of the new policy by assertive Western journalists the flustered apparatchik rustled his papers and gave confusing answers.  Faced with demands to clarify when the policy would start, he blurted out: “immediately”. 

The media believed the border was open and reported “The wall has fallen”.  Berliners poured onto the streets.  The standoff became tense. The guards asked for orders; they got none. The Politburo had gone home unaware of what had happened.  The barriers swung open and East Germany collapsed.