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Rioting at Alexanderplatz, East Berlin, 3 October 1990: A burning Mercedes [4/4]

OBJECT INFORMATION

Info

October 3 1990
Berlin, Alexanderplatz
Created By: Merit Schambach

License: Creative Commons License

From the Set

Exhibition theme: German Unification

Depicts

group of people, Mercedes-Benz

Context

demonstration, force, police, vandalism

People/Organizations

police (FRG)

Places

Alexanderplatz

Other items in this set

Memory

"After the reunification celebrations at Brandenburg Gate on the night of 2/3 October 1990, there was a counter-celebration on the evening of 3 October at Alexanderplatz under the motto: 'Shut Your Gob, Germany!' A huge contingent of police had been deployed there. Suddenly, there was a skirmish, stones flew through the air, a car was set on fire, and there was 'free beer' at the abandoned beer stands. The usual two blocks formed: the police and the crowd. Tempers flared on both sides. Attempts at mediation by an uninvolved bystander who ventured into the no-man’s-land between the two sides ended with someone throwing a cardboard banana box at his head. As if responding to some secret signal, the two fronts started to move: one side flitted to and fro hurling stones; the other, in pursuit. During the scrap not only were the stands wrecked, but also the glass windows of an electrical appliances shop under the S-Bahn arches were smashed, and the shop was looted."

Merit Schambach (Ost-Berlin)