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Revelers celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall, November 9,1989.

(© picture-alliance/dpa)

The fall of the Berlin Wall on Thursday, November 9, 1989, marked the beginning of a new era in history. It signaled the end of the Cold War and beginning of European unity.

A peaceful revolution in East Germany had forced the Wall open after 28 long years of separation. As jubilant crowds gathered around the Berlin Wall that fateful night, the world watched as a divided people, a divided city, and a divided country were once again reunited. That day changed the world, and signified the end of a long and painful chapter in Germany’s history.

Be part of the celebrations commemorating this historic event in Los Angeles. Attend one of the Wende Museum's events or the Freedom Without Walls campus events at California State University, Long Beach and Chapman University in Orange. Watch as Germany's international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, broadcasts a 24-hour live event starting at 7:00 am.

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

The Wende Museum invites you to two events:

Invitation # 1: Tickets cost $ 250.

November 8: The Wende Museum invites you to an evening in celebration of The Wall Project

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(© Shepard Fairey for The Wall Project)

Please join us Sunday, November 8, as we recognize the vision and generosity of the artists, organizations, and sponsors who supported The Wall Project - our public art initiative commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of Berlin Wall.
With performances by: UTE LEMPER & SHEPARD FAIREY
The evening includes: Champagne reception, Hors d'oeuvres and buffet, Gourmet dessert and coffee bars, Open bars and martinis, Silent auction featuring artwork from The Wall Project, Historic film and video projections, Items on view from the Wende Museum Archive.
WHEN: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 7:30 PM to Midnight
WHERE: 5900 Wilshire Boulevard, (Valet Parking at 5900 Wilshire)
TICKETS: $250. Available by contacting Rob Sherer at 310.216.1600 ext 305 or 
wendemuseum%27%org,rsherer  INFO: www.wallproject.or

Invitation # 2: Admission is FREE

The Wende Museum invites you to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall:

WHEN: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM
WHERE: On Wilshire Boulevard between Fairfax and Spaulding
ADMISSION:The event is FREE
WHAT:  80'x 10' Wall of art will span Wilshire and colllapse at midnight, live performance by legendary German chanteuse Ute Lemper, bonus attraction: a 40' section of the original Berlin Wall, the longest stretch outside of Berlin.
INFO: www.wallproject.org

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California State University, Long Beach: Freedom Without Walls Symposium

November 5: "The Fall of the Berlin Wall--and Its Aftermath..."

Invitation: Admission is FREE

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(© German Embassy Washington)

Everyone is invited to attend an afternoon program of documentaries and testimonials about the fall of the Berlin Wall. Several members of our CSULB faculty will share how they experienced the fall of the Wall in the GDR, Eastern Europe, and Russia.

WHEN: November 5, 2009, from 12:00 – 4:00pm in the Anatol Center, Academics Services Bldg.
WHERE: California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90840
INFO: Contact for more information : Nele Hempel-Lamer, Associate Professof of German: csulb%27%edu,nhempell

Program:
Documentary: “How the Wall Fell…”
Panel I: “Remembering a Vanished Country — Stories from the GDR”
Documentary of the GDR Border: “Walled In”
Panel II: “Remembering the Fall of the Wall — Stories from Eastern Europe and Russia“

November 9: "Tear Down this Wall!" Student Speech Competition
A student speech competition to be held on November 9, the actual 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall, that asks students to reflect on a “wall” or “walls” they still perceive in their lives, either in their immediate vicinity or in their global community. Students will write and deliver a 5-minute speech that urges an individual or several people to “tear down this wall!”.
For more information contact Nele Hempel-Lamer, Assoc. Professor of German:
csulb%27%edu,nhempell

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Chapman University: ''Freedom Without Walls“ Symposium

November 10:  

Invitation:  Admission is FREE

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(© courtesy Chapman University)

Join us for a scholarly symposium featuring experts on the fall of the Berlin Wall, as we commemorate the 20th anniversary of that event.

Program:
- Material and Metaphorical Walls
- Walls of Europe and the Americas
- Cold War
- Germany before and after the Fall of the Wall

The concluding event of the month-long Freedom Without Walls celebration at Chapman University is the Wall Ceremony at 4:30pm on November 10, 2009. All those who attend the Symposium are encouraged to join the Chapman University community at the section of the Berlin Wall in Liberty Plaza for the concluding ceremony and reception.

When:  November 10, 2009, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Where: Chapman University, Beckman 404,One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866, 
Info: 714-532-7742 or www.chapman.edu

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USC Annenberg School for Communication: An International Dialogue

November 18: Communicating across Borders: Visions and Voices

Invitation: Admission is FREE, RSVP requested

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(© courtesy Nejla Yatkin)

November 9th, 2009, will mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. While many have forgotten the impact of living with the wall for a quarter of a century, it was a constant reminder of the Cold War and the threat of atomic war.

Choreographer Nejla Yatkin was a teenager in Berlin living with the reality of the divided city. She experienced the threat of imminent conflict in the battle between East and West, and saw the world open up when the wall went down. For the first time in decades, people had a chance to communicate, share, move and get to know each other, without feeling the oppressive threat.

This event will draw on these observations and experiences, exploring the role that physical and political boundaries play in society. The event will include a screening and short performance of a contemporary dance piece by Yatkin that reflects, embodies and subverts the interaction between individuals, movement and the emotional impact of barriers.

Following the presentation, Carola Weil, Annenberg associate dean for planning and strategic initiatives, will moderate a discussion with Yatkin and Annenberg faculty members Sandy Tolan, Josh Kun and Roberto Suro. They will link the Berlin Wall to other physical borders, such as the U.S.-Mexican border and the fence between Israel and Palestinian territories. While these boundaries can act as national or international assets, they can also act as impediments that restrict the flow of resources, commerce and intellectual property, isolating people and dividing nations.

Organized by the USC Annenberg School for Communication.
This event is sponsored in part by the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles.Related links:USC Annenberg School for Communication

WHEN: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 6:30 pm
WHERE: University of Southern California, USC University Park Campus, Annenberg Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA 90089
INFO: Admission is free. Please RSVP:
usc%27%edu,visionsandvoices

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DW- TV: 20 YEARS ON: THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

Germany is celebrating – join the party!

(© Deutsche Welle)

To celebrate this hugely significant historical event, DW-TV will be broadcasting a 24-hour live event from 7 a.m. with coverage of the most poignant moments and the tense and tragic background of European division.

From two glass studios at the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdamer Platz, the DW-TV team will relive the dramatic events of 1989, with contemporary witnesses and politicians recounting their experiences. Documentaries and reports, along with the highly acclaimed animated film Eingemauert! (Walled In!), will give viewers a remarkable insight into the most important event in German post-war history. Follow the celebrations on DW-TV or via live stream at DW-WORLD.DE and get an even more detailed picture of the events with a range of dossiers and reports.

Join the DW team as they embark on a journey to the very roots of reunified Germany, and discover why the end of the Cold War was marked with fireworks, not gunfire.

WHERE:  DW-TV | 9. November 2009 | 24 h live