Berlin --
Where were you when the Wall fell? The Chancellor certainly has the most important day sweating in the last decades quite a bit. Berlin, Prenzlauer Berg. In Ernst-Thalmann-Park swimming pool is being renovated, new windows and a new roof for the indoor pool with 50-meter track, solarium and sauna attached. Precisely where Angela Merkel sat on the 9th November 20 years ago. Like every Thursday, they indulged in an infusion with a friend. The sauna was popular, the bathroom quite modern.
The evening, which changed Germany, shortly after 19 clock: Merkel, a physicist at the Academy of Sciences, former FDJlerin, 35 years old, was watching on TV, the press conference with Günter Schabowski, the Speaker of the SED Politburo seen. She heard the word of freedom to travel. But what exactly was meant by that? Private purposes? Holidays in the West? Or permanent emigration? May still be impossible! And when will it ever be? Merkel called her mother, "Mom, where is the wall, then we go to West Berlin at the Kempinski eat oysters." Then she left her apartment on Schönhauser Allee and went - just in the sauna.
After a Berliner Pilsener against thirst. This was part of Thursday evening, just about this. The pub "the old gas lamp" is only 50 meters from the swimming pool. Angela Merkel and her friend walked into the restaurant, went to the right, right again, into the large bar area. Right at the back left corner, they sat down at the large wooden table, which still stands here.
"Here they learned about it," says Hans-Joachim "Hansi" Hoeller. The 57-year-old CDU regular voters points to a stereo system. "Here, the radio, from which came the news of the fall of the wall." For 19 years he has stood the "gaslight". He got them by the Trust.
15 years he did not know that his pub is a very historic place. But one evening snowed a certain purely Ulf Leisner. Mr. Leisner is from the CDU. He said that his boss would like to pass time, like with her husband and some friends like Annette Schavan, Laurenz Meyer and Michael Glos, the CSU, 120 guests. "Hansi" Höller thought of the hidden camera, but then he understood.
He's on 9 His bed and on this day five years ago, Angela Merkel came just once more into the "gas lamp" to remind themselves from their friends. "A nice gift," says innkeeper "Hansi" today. "You drew the beer, at least half an hour, and she was eight to one. A really nice evening. "An evening like 20 years ago. The wall has fallen. When the news was on the radio, drank their beer, and Angela Merkel went on the road. She saw the Trabi parade, watched as people made pilgrimages to the border crossing at the Bornholm road. She saw the rays and the tears. Angela Merkel was running behind. They passed the junction, past the bewildered border officials who had long since lost control.
She went to Wedding, into the west. 16 years and 13 days later, Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.
