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A bomb explodes at La Belle disco in West Berlin
3 people are killed, 230 injured (including 50 Americans). It was later blamed on Libya and was done with the knowledge of the Stasi. -
Michael Britner shot trying to escape
The East Germans overcame the embarrassment of this by denying that it happened at all. -
Pair try to crash a truck through the Wall
Lutz Schmidt and Peter Schulze try to break through in the southern suburb of Berlin near the Schonefeld Airport. Schmidt is shot through the heart and dies instantly. Schulze makes it across. The Stasi say that Schmidt was killed in an unfortunate traffic accident. -
Ronald Reagan gives a speech at Brandenburg Gate
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" -
The GDR abolishes the death penalty
- only month/year accurate
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Honecker believed the wall would stand for another 50-100 years
There were even plans to create a 100 year wall. It would be more high tech and more impregnable than any previous ones. -
Chris Gueffroy killed
Believing that the "shoot to kill" order has been abandoned, Chris and a friend try to get over the wall. His friend is shot and wounded. Chris is the last to be killed trying to escape. Again the Stasi tried to cover up the killing but it causes an international outcry. -
Roundtable Agreement signed in Poland
Legalizes independent trade unions and calls for the first partially democratic election in June -
Honecker lifted the "shoot to kill" order.
The East Germans had never admitted that the order existed in the first place so Honecker's decision remained a state secret. *only month/year accurate -
Hungary cuts through the barbed wire
The dismantling of the Iron Curtain has begun. Hungary disables the electric alarm system and cuts through the barbed wire on its border with Austria. -
July, August and then September, East Germans are on the move
First tens, then hundreds of thousands of East Germans started heading for Hungary and Czechoslovakia. They wanted out. *only month/year accurate -
Pan European Picnic becomes an exodus
A peace demonstration at the Hungarian town of Sopron on the Austrian border turns into an exodus when Hungarian border guards hold their fire as 600 East German citizens flee to the West. -
Hungary opens its borders to Western Europe
Since movement between Communist countries is allowed, more than 30,000 east Germans seize the opportunity to escape. East German officials blame hate mongers in the west for inciting people to leave. They attempt to clamp down on their citizens.
East Berliners start to openly demonstrate. -
10,000 citizens of Leipzig appear on the streets
They chanted about freedom and shouted the slogan "We will stay HERE", these protestors posed a problem for Honecker since his way of dealing with dissidents had been to dump them in the West. These people wanted to stay -
East German radio reports that the gov't is willing to discuss reform
But it's only broadcastin Leipzig -
Mielke issues a 'code red' alert in preparation for the Monday 'prayer meeting' at the Nikolaikirche
Fearing the 70,000 Leipzig citizens who planned to attend, Mielke's order essentially gave forces a 'licence to kill' in the streets. -
Security forces are armed with live ammunition
and were stationed in the side streets near the Nikolaikirche. Hospitals prepared for an influx of wounded. But the demonstration did not turn to violent. The fact that the Russian occupation army did not show itself was proof that Gorbachev had confined them to their barracks. It was a turning point. -
East German news agency, ADN, reports on huge demonstration
More than 100,000 people marching in Leipzig. ADN admits that people are openly criticizing the gov't and not being arrested. -
Politburo watches uneasily as a secret Stasi TV feed from Leipzig shows a crowd of 120,000 gathering and shouting "the Wall must go!".
Honecker exclaims "Now, surely we have to do something!" but no one else in the room suggested using force. The army chief of staff, Colonel-General Fritz Streletz specifically says he won't unleash his men. "We intend to let the whole thing take its course peacefully." -
Honecker forced to resign
During the Politburo meeting, Honecker asks if anyone would like to speak. Willi Stoph, chair of the Council of Ministers, says he thinks the first order on the agenda should be "The release of Comrade Erich Honecker from his duties as General Secretary and the election of Egon Krenz as General Secretary. -
East German television broadcast live public discussions with Communist leaders
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300,000 march in Leipzig calling for Krenz' resignation
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Gunter Schabowski tries to explain the policies of the new government
The 20,000 gathered at the Red Town Hall hear him out but still call for more than he was prepared to give. -
Report on the Economic Situation in the GDR with Consequences
A highly secret report was submitted to the new Politburo. It made clear what had been hidden; the country was a wreck and facing bankruptcy. The GDR had been taking short term loans to make interest payments on long term credit and using its credit worthy status to assume more debt. It was fraud on a massive scale. -
Krenz goes to Moscow with begging bowl
Gorbachev only promised to ask his friends in the West not to destabilize the GDR. Krenz returned to East Berlin empty-handed. The countdown to the end had begun. -
1 million protestors
More than 1 million protestors call for free elections, free speech, truthful news and the right to travel. East German TV newsmagazine, Actuelle Kamera, covers it all. -
Willi Stoph and cabinet of 44 members resign
They were trying to appease the mounting protests -
East Berlin District Leader, Guenter Schabowski, announces new travel law
During a routine press conference, he announces that applications for travel abroad can be submitted without further precondition. People starting flocking to the border crossings, quickly overwhelming the guards. By midnight, people were dancing on the wall. -
People are climbing the Wall
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Brandenburg Gate is opened
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Checkpoint Charlie is removed
The former guardhouse is relocated to the Allied Museum -
Germany is reunited
