Pan-European Picnic 1989: the end of the Iron-Curtain. Part 1

Németh Miklós 89 Határokon át 1

Documentary on how a renegade band of illegal immigrants and a few visionary leaders in Hungarian society conspired with Gorbachev to bring down the Berlin Wall in 1989.

The Nemeth government took power on Nov 26th 1988 and immediately started the transition of Hungarian society to a pluralistic market economy and democracy. On March 10ht 1989 the foreign minister Gyula Horn signed the treaty with his soviet counterpart Shevardnadze for the withdrawal of soviet troops and got verbal assurances from Gorbachev that he has the freedom to act in accordance to Hungary's national sovereignty as far as Hungary's internal affairs were concerned, and soviet troops will not interfere. On August 19th 700 east German citizens were allowed to cross the border into Austria, an event coordinated with border guards and political leaders on both sides of the border. This event marked the beginning of a steady stream of "illegal" defections from East Germany to West Germany via Hungary and Austria. Less than 3 months later the Berlin Wall came down as a direct consequence of this unprecedented act of defiance and courage.

1989 August Timeline:
http://www.chronik-der-mauer.de/index.php/de/Start/Index/id/652002
english language interview with Nemeth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaP9cMplK1M

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Berlin
• Wall
• 1989
• illegal
• immigration

[ThePoppy4u]

Look at the courage of these people. Uprooting their lives for a new way and a new world. Could we do it? Blessing to the Germans who dared to go, and blessing to the Hungarians who let them do it!

[Shukria123]

but these winds of change can turn cold and hostile

[hotello2009]

@EricRSmyth yes, very emotional film !!! People running to freedom

[KocesK]

Does anyone know who owns the rights to this footage? Is there a place in Hungary that has it?

[EricRSmyth]

i thought the last few minutes of the video are very intresting

[coexist42]

Excellent footage. Thank you so much for posting this!!