Ceremonial Opening of Berlin Wall Photo Exhibit at the Massachusetts State House
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- Consul General Friedrich Löhr and State Senator Karen Spilka
- (© German Consulate Boston)
To mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Consul General Friedrich Löhr and Senator Karen Spilka opened the exhibit “The Wall” on November 10, 2009 at the Massachusetts State House. The selection of 24 photographs from Joanna Pinneo, Anthony Suau, Christopher Morris, David Turnley and Peter Turnley –first publicly displayed in 1990 by the German Information Center – can be seen from November 9th-13th in Doric Hall at the Massachusetts State House. The pictures were taken in November and December 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down. They strikingly depict moving moments of this time, such as East German soldiers right before the fall of the Wall, East Berliners bursting into tears when finally setting foot in the West or East and West Berliners chiselling side by side to break down the Wall.
In her opening speech, Senator Spilka recognized the displayed photographs as poignant and deeply moving. The fall of the Berlin Wall is closely aligned with US history. “Through our steadfast commitment to our ideals and through the hard work of diplomacy, the United States played an integral role in the fall of the Berlin Wall. One of the Commonwealth’s native sons, President John F. Kennedy, made an impassioned plea for freedom in his famous Berlin speech – a speech that has resonated across decades and throughout the world“ Quote from and link to Sen. Spilka’s website
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- Chief of Staff Sarah Blodgett, Senator Karen Spilka, Vice Consul Marion Appel and Consul General Friedrich Löhr with one of the exhibit photos
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Following this, Consul General Friedrich Löhr greeted the guests, remembering how charged with history the date of November 9th has been for Germany over the last 100 years: the end of WW I and founding of the Weimar Republic in 1918, the Nazi putsch attempt of Munich in 1923 and progrom night of 1938, and finally the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He especially recognized the instrumental role of the US in re-uniting Germany in peace and freedom, particularly the unwavering diplomatic support by then President George Herbert Walker Bush.
Both Senator Spilka and Consul General Löhr emphasized the symbolic meaning of the fall of the Berlin Wall for the world today.The crumbling of the Berlin Wall and the following reunification of East and West Germany proved that peaceful change is possible and that the hope for freedom can never be forsaken. Link to www.germany.info/withoutwalls
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- Consul General Löhr thanks Senator Spilka with a piece of the Berlin Wall
- (© German Consulate Boston)
Consul General Löhr thanked Senator Spilka for making the exhibit at the Massachusetts State House possible and presented her with a piece of the Berlin Wall.
Among the guests attending the reception by Senator Karen Spilka and the German Consulate General of Boston were Representatives and Senators of Massachusetts, as well as numerous members of the Consular Corps. Consul General Löhr was particularly pleased that members of the Jewish community joined in celebrating this auspicious watershed in Germany history. Link to Mass. State House
The photos will be on further display at Central Connecticut State University from November 18-30, 2009 and at the University of Rhode Island from mid-December 2009.
For further information, please check at www.modlang.ccsu.edu/
