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Exhibition theme: The Border Opens: A crammed temporary car park in Eschwege [69/87]

OBJECT INFORMATION

Info

November 17 1989
Eschwege
Created By: Hermann Rommel

License: Not Creative Commons

Depicts

car, caution tape, parking spot, Trabant (car)

Places

Eschwege

Other items in this set

Almost everyone knows to this day where he or she was on 9 November 1989. The joy at being suddenly granted the freedom to travel, also to West Germany, was immense. Each time a new border crossing was opened, people celebrated. In the same way, the removal of segments of the Wall and of border fence, as well as the reconstruction of roads between East and West became important events. Countless photographs and films taken in Berlin and at the inner-German border document these incidents as they occurred – thus preserving the good fortune of experiencing everything live for the family album.

Original Caption

"It took us nearly 10 minutes to get to this car park in order to even leave our property in Ballhausen. The delay was caused by a continuous stream of cars on what is the B 176 today. Everyone wanted to do the same thing - go to the FRG (in order to pick up their 'welcome money'). We had to follow this motorcade over the border to Wanfried and then on to Eschwege. It took us about three hours, including border control."