November 7, 2009 I Was There When the Wall Was Built, a Witness to German History

Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter December 2009 Volume 6, Issue 4 Photos below are taken from Boston.com website The Fall of the Berlin Wall Celebrated in Washington, D.C. November 7, 2009 I was there when the Wall was built, a witness to German history. Because of the courage of President Reagan and brave East German citizens, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. All of the Berlin Brats are witnesses to history, because you lived it for a number of years in the divided city. Spectators watch as giant, painted styrofoam dominoes stand along the route of the former Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate on November 9, 2009 I was invited to the German Embassy in Washington D.C. to be part in Berlin, Germany. The approximately 1,000 dominoes, painted by school- of the celebration of this important event. Saturday, November 7, 2009 children and artists all over the world, were meant to symbolically represent became a very exciting day for me. Early in the morning, I stood in line the end of communist rule across Eastern Europe and were the highlight of celebrations in the German capitol marking the 20th anniversary of the fall to visit the White House. The visitors were led through the East Wing. of the Berlin Wall. (Henning Schacht-Pool/Getty Images) As I was leaving to walk to the Spy Museum, President Obama drove through the gate of his residence on his way to the Capitol. He waved to the waiting crowds. I arrived at the Spy Museum and was greeted by the sight of twenty Trabbies, the car that became a symbol of communist East Germany. As I made my way through the visitors, I saw men in East German border patrol uniforms and Stasi trench coat attire walk- ing around. It looked very authentic. All of a sudden I saw a group of happy visitors, giggling, taking pictures and displaying a school jacket. The Berlin Brats have arrived! I introduced myself as a native Berliner and from that moment on I was a part of the Brats’ family. Our Berlin bond came through as we talked. One of the members even remembered my son, who also was a student at the American High School. (Thomas Dietz, class of ‘82 ) Spectators watch as giant styrofoam dominoes topple along the route The celebration of the reunion of the students, the 20th anniversary, of the former Berlin Wall near the Brandenburg Gate on November and the memories of being in the divided city all made it a joyful time. 9, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. (Carsten Koall/Getty Images) I was invited to go along to a German restaurant for the party. It would have been great to join this jovial group, but I had to be at the German Inside This Issue: Embassy later. The night was pleasantly spent with videos, starting with the building of this 1 20th Anniversary of monstrous border until the destruction of the Wall. Speeches memorializing the victims who gave the Fall of the Wall. their life trying to escape the Eastern part of Berlin were given. Good German food, plenty of beer, 2 Reunification of a Family wine and excellent company made for a warm gathering of Berliner friends. To sum it up, it was a Deb (Brians) Clark ‘74 very moving day to be part of this historic event, remembered in our nation’s capitol. The next day 4 When the Wall Came Down I made my way to see the Lincoln memorial. As I was waiting to enter the elevator to the memorial, by John Freeman ‘71 an elderly man stood beside me. On his lapel he wore a German/ American flag pin. Feeling very uplifted from the events of the day before, I asked him about wearing the pin. He was a US military 5 Glenna Harrison FAC interviewed by the Wichita Eagle dependent ....(“a Berlin Brat at that”)......during the Berlin Airlift. Excitedly he told me about the celebration they had in May 2009 in Berlin to honor members of the military forces that made the 6 My Ten Seconds of Fame by Airlift possible. I told him that I had visited Berlin in May and attended the event in Tempelhof. Deb (Brians) Clark, BAHS ‘74 During the Open House at the former Tempelhof Air Base, Ret. Col. Halverson, the candy bomber, Interview with Joe Condrill 8 made a flight over the airfield and released little parachutes with candy attached, just as he did at Museum of World Treasures during the Berlin Blockade. I was standing in the wrong place on the runway and was unable to 9 Berlin Letterjackets Catch My get a piece of memorabilia. My Airlift friend, Dr. Dan (Daniel Bunting ’49) offered to mail me his Eye by Alyce Stewart candy parachute, which was a gift of the Berliner government to him. We now have a friendship 10 Washington DC Regional between a hero of the airlift (see the newspaper clipping below) and a former child helped by the at the Spy Museum generosity of the American people. 12 Dan Bunting ‘49 at White House 13 Airlift Spirit of Freedom in NC The power of friendship, if it is by old classmates or people you meet at the spur of a 15 Brat News moment, shows what people are made of. 16 Memorials 18 Christmas Story by Sylvia Greeney Bärbel (Dee Dee) Bronaugh A Berliner, adopted by the Brats on the street outside the Spy Museum 20 Contacts on Nov 7th....way before they knew I was the mother of a Berlin Brat!!! 2 Berlin Brats Alumni Association Newsletter The Fall of the Berlin Wall – The Reunification of Germany: By Deb “Brians” Clark The Reunification of Family BAHS, Class of 1974 “ABC New Special Report: We interrupt this program to Life in the West at that time, was by far better than life in the bring you this special news bulletin.” I thought to myself, East. Many East Berliners attempted to escape to the West “This better be good,” as once again, ABC was interrupting in search of the good life. My mother’s cousin, whom I will my favorite soap opera during my lunch hour. The date was call “Otto,” (to protect his identity), was one of them. After November 9, 1989, and I was living in Ocala, Florida. As I trying for several months to make a go of it in the West, Otto was taking the first bite of my turkey sandwich – made with desperately missed his family. When he anonymously asked Miracle Whip and sprinkled with extra salt, I heard the authorities if there would be any repercussions should he announcer say, “Today, the Berlin Wall has come down.” return to the East, he was assured he would be left alone. For me, time stood still for that moment, and as I burst into tears I said, “I want to remember every detail of this moment.” I remember what I had for lunch. I remember exactly what I did that morning, and I remember what I was wearing. Unfortunately, spandex was in, and so were shoulder pads and big earrings. So although I remember the outfit, I’d rather not elaborate on it! I knew that my cousin, Frank, a native Berliner, would be one of the first people on the scene at the Wall to celebrate – to sip champagne and to take part in tearing it down. Thinking of me and my family in the US, Frank took a nice chunk of the wall and sent it to me. Please see attached picture. This piece of the wall is not just a Deb’s Uncle Richard “Kiki” Wanderer, and cousin, piece of art hanging in my foyer Conny Wanderer Schnoor, holding a chunk of the Wall. - it’s a symbol of freedom and a reunification not only of a country but of a family. My family. My father, a Captain in the U.S. Army, was stationed in Berlin in the early 1950’s and met my mother, a native Berliner, and they married in Andrews Chapel in the American Sector of Berlin in June 1955. I was born in the American Hospital in Berlin the following year. As is typical with a military family, we moved around every 2-3 years, so when the Wall was erected in 1961, we were living in Anchorage, Alaska. (We had several tours of L to R: Aunt Jutta Wanderer, Soeren Schnoor, and cousin, duty in Berlin in the 60’s and 70’s as well). And when the Wall Conny Wanderer Schnoor with toolbox at Wall. went up, my mother was separated from grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who were living in Kloetze-Altmark He was excited to finally be reunited with his family, (where ironically my mom’s family sought refuge from the but upon his return, he was apprehended, sent to prison for Berlin bombings for a short time during WWII). There are three years – one year of which was spent in solitary many adjectives to describe the emotions of this Wall to our confinement. Ironically, his father, during WWII, family and others: frustration, anger, loneliness, confusion, was sent to a concentration camp for five years for and helplessness. The only means of communicating with each belonging to a faction that did not support Hitler. other at that time was via letters, which we knew would be Concentration camps were not just for Jewish people! There read by authorities. So as the years wore on, and West Berlin were several members of my mother’s family who spent time became a thriving, modern “hip” city, it’s slogan for years in concentration camps, and the Wall was a reminder that being “ Berlin ist eine Reise Wert” (meaning, Berlin is the Germany was still not a “free” country.

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