20 Year Anniversary Of The Dismantling Of The Berlin Wall

Ynetnews.com reports that "German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders hailed the human courage that toppled the Berlin Wall, saying the historic events of 20 years ago showed the world could tackle new challenges, from poverty to climate change. Merkel and fellow leaders from Britain, France and Russia spoke to tens of thousands gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate the anniversary of the collapse of the Wall, which ended the Cold War and paved the way for German reunification. 'Together we brought down the Iron Curtain and I am convinced this can give us the strength for the 21st century,' said Merkel, who grew up behind the Wall herself in communist East Germany. Merkel, the first east German to hold the job, called the fall of the wall an 'epic' moment in history. 'For me, it was one of the happiest moments of my life,' Merkel said. Yet she also recalled the tragic side of November 9 for Germans – the Nazi's Kristallnacht – or Night of Broken Glass – anti-Semitic pogrom 71 years ago. At least 91 German Jews were killed, hundreds of synagogues destroyed, and thousands of Jewish businesses vandalized and looted in the state-sanctioned riots that night. 'Both show that freedom is not self evident,' Merkel said. 'Freedom must be fought for. Freedom must be defended time and again. Freedom is the most valuable commodity in our political and social system.' 'Our good fortune obliges us to take on the challenges of our time,' she added, mentioning security, economic well-being and protection of the environment as key tasks confronting the world."
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