Berlin celebrated
The 35th anniversary of the fall of the Wall
Thirty-five years ago, courageous individuals brought down the Berlin Wall and shortly thereafter the SED dictatorship. In the summer and autumn of 1989, a movement that started with a small number of people quickly became one involving thousands. These people protested peacefully, calling for democratic reforms and basic human rights in the GDR. But freedom and democracy should still not be taken for granted and need to be defended. This is why the motto of our anniversary and the celebrations surrounding 9 November 2024 was:
Hold Freedom up High!
The 35th anniversary of the fall of the Wall – Retrospect
The 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 Novermber 2024 attracted more than 500,000 visitors from at home and abroad. Over the course of two days, Berlin transformed into the backdrop of a diverse programme commemorating the historic events of 1989/90 while also paying tribute to that era’s new sense of boundless freedom.
The celebrations began on 8 November with the launch of a 4-kilometre open-air-installation stretching along the route of the former Berlin Wall. The installation displayed replicas of historical banners from the 1989/90 era alongside posters conveying present-day sayings and slogans contributed by thousands of Berliners. This and a series of exhibitions set up at seven locations along the route provided the crowds of visitors with historical information and insight into the calls for freedom and human rights issued by the people of the GDR during the Peaceful Revolution. In addition, the Axel Springer Freedom Foundation honoured the suppression of the Tiananmen democracy protests with the exhibition China is not far!
Screens complemented the open-air installation with the faces and stories behind the posters. Dissidents from all over the world shared their messages for freedom. Video cubes from the German government showed historical footage of the events surrounding the fall of the Berlin Wall. The installation was accompanied by lectures, guided tours and performances that emphasised the importance of freedom and social cohesion.
The highlight of the 35th anniversary celebrations was the Festival for Freedom held on five stages along the former route of the Wall. Together with the roughly 700 singers and musicians, the crowd transformed the city into the biggest rock ‘n’ roll stage in the world. By celebrating this year’s anniversary under the motto “Hold freedom up high”, Berlin once again set an example and sent out a message for freedom that made its way around the world.
Yet another unique feature of this year’s celebrations was a special 35th anniversary book, which visitors were invited to take home free of charge as a souvenir. The book contains essays and interviews spotlighting the Peaceful Revolution of 1989 as well as images of the posters designed by Berliners in the lead-up to this year’s anniversary.
The action day “Revolution! -and then what?” on the Campus of Democracy rounded off the celebrations to mark the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The all-day democracy festival concluded with an open-air concert by the band Pussy Riot.
We would like to thank all the visitors who celebrated this unforgettable festival with us. Many thanks also to our project partners and the team.
ProgrammE
More events in Berlin
- Exhibition
Blown Away: the Palace of the Republic
- Exhibition
DREAM ON – BERLIN, THE 90S
- Tour
berlinHistory App – Audio guide for the Berlin Wall Trail
- Exhibition
