Inside History: Protest. Revolt & Reform

internment camps” including Ranis Castle, were prepared to
house the 85,939 individuals who were currently being
monitored by the Stasi. Under codename: “Shield”, the
arrest orders were sent to all of the 211 local Stasi
precincts. To Mielke’s dismay, they were ignored as local
Stasi operatives opted to barricade themselves within their
offices for fear of reprisals.
Prior to the 9th October, most protests within the GDR
were often of the size of that at Gethsemane Church. There
was of course a good reason for this. The fear implemented
by the SED and the Stasi had over their citizens. Calling for
civil rights was a dangerous game yet despite this, one of
the largest protests in GDR history was being prepared.
Unknown to the citizens of Leipzig at the time was just how
far their protest and courage would set in motion not just
the fall of the Berlin Wall but also of a country.
Approximately 70,000 people would gather in the streets of
Leipzig. Fear of reprisals were no doubt at the back of
everyone’s minds. The protesters in Leipzig chanted “No
violence!” in order to avoid giving the authorities an excuse
to attack. Whilst the national GDR media mentioned little
about the events in Leipzig, the protestors knew that the
story would be big news in the West. Undercover footage
and interviews soon found their way on Western news
channels.
The events in Leipzig had turned the tables. Now they faced
the Stasi offices with defiance as the shadow men cowered
behind their desks. It also probably explains why the local
Stasi authorities did little when instructed to initiate “Day X”.
The countries so called “Sword and Shield” were now
looking blunt and damaged.
Protests continued throughout the country. In order to
appease the voice of the people, the SED forced Erich
Honecker from office. For Honecker, the words of
Gorbachev had come to fruition. However, the damage was
now done. The hope that this would change the mood
would soon be quashed as the protests continued.
In Alexanderplatz, East Berlin, on the 4th November, the
biggest demonstration against the government occurred. It
is estimated that anywhere between half a million to a
million protesters filled the area that day. Unlike like some
of the other protests, this one was permitted that place by
the authorities. Televised live on East German TV, people
from all over the GDR were able to witness for themselves
what was happening. Speeches came from all parts of the
spectrum. From actors, artists and civil rights campaigners
to members of the ruling authorities such as Markus Wolf
(former head of the East German foreign intelligence
service) and Politburo members.
The reception for the likes of Markus Wolf were particularly
uncomfortable for the authorities. Bärbel Bohley would
later say this of Markus Wolf’s time at the microphone:
“When I saw that his hands were trembling because the
people were booing I said to Jens Reich: We can go now,
Schabowski,
having not
read the
memo fully,
simply stated:
“As far as I
know...
immediately.”
now it is all over. The revolution is irreversible."
The revolution may have started yet no one foresaw what
would happen next.
One of the Poltiburo speakers in the 4th November was
Günter Schabowski. Like Markus Wolf, he had received a frosty
reception complete with boos and jeers. Just five days after the
Alexanderplatz demonstration it would be Schabowski’s press
conference that would lead to the fall of the Berlin wall.
The cabinet had passed a decree on travel regulations allowing
for more freedom. Schabowski was meant to announce it at
the conference in full but didn’t completely read the memo.
There was meant to be an embargo until the next day at 4am
when the radio announcers were supposed to read out the
decree to the nation. After reading out the decree live on
television, Schabowski was asked:
“When will that happen?”
Schabowski, having not read the memo fully, simply stated: “As
far as I know...immediately.”
Recalling the event, Schabowski later said that “Hundreds,
thousands of people flocked to the boarded checkpoints,
where they were blocked by the guards, who didn’t know any
of this". Overwhelmed, the guards desperate for any official
orders, opened the barriers and let the people though.
The GDR, only one month after celebrating its 40th birthday,
had fallen without the firing of a gun but instead, a peaceful
revolution despite the desperate attempts of Honecker and
Mielke to hold onto power. Instead of Day X, there was a new
dawn in Germany.
62 INSIDE HISTORY