Exhibition theme: German Unification: A couple at Brandenburg Gate [1/21]
On 3 October 1990, when the GDR came under the Basic Law of the Federal Republic, people had almost become used to the idea that the two German states were one. Or, at least, it appears to be this way when we see the many small celebrations held at new border crossings opened in winter 1989/1990 and spring 1990. In retrospect, they appear far more euphoric than the official celebration of German Unity. By autumn 1990, the worries of everyday life had caught up with people again. Hence, in their minds the weeks immediately following 9 November 1989 would remain unrivalled as the most joyous period of celebration.
Original Caption
"It's one in the morning on 3 October 1990. German Unification has become a reality. I leave the square in front of the Reichstag and go to the Brandenburg Gate. People drink out of bottles and cans. Fireworks adorn the skies. I travelled from Frankfurt/Main to Berlin that morning. Now I cross the Pariser Platz. Broken glass crunches under my feet, beer cans roll about on the street. Complete strangers talk to one another."
