Germans recall fall of Berlin wall with candles

An estimated 20,000 people gathered near the famous St Nicolas Church with candles for peace in the evening, recalling the pivotal role their city played in the fall of communism with concerts, exhibitions and light shows tracing the steps of October 9, 1989.

Twenty-two years ago, about one lakh residents of Leipzig took to the streets under the banner ‘we are the people’ and sparked peaceful protests against 40 years of oppressive rule by the then German Democratic Republic (GDR).

Leipzig was the first East German city to openly oppose the communist rule. People staged peaceful demonstration calling for more freedom and democracy in the communist country. The demonstrations slowly spread across all East German cities and towns, building pressure on the communist masters to open the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, paving the way for German reunification the following year. But the events in Leipzig were overshadowed by the sudden collapse of the Berlin Wall, which attracted international attention. Leipzig was out of the way.

Sunday’s 22nd anniversary was an emotional moment for many senior citizens who shed tears on watching clips of the demonstration on big screen.