Library marks collapse of Berlin Wall

Dunblane Library hosted an event to mark 30 years since the collapse of the BerlinWall.

The event, held on Saturday, November 9, was organised by local resident Dr Susanne Shanks and Dr Kerstin Doig, both of whom grew up in East Germany and were teenagers when the wall fell.

More than 40 people attended including people from both East and West Germany.

The organisers along with audience members discussed what was gained and also what was lost by the wall coming down. Among the gains highlighted were freedom of movement and expression and democracy. Losses identified included fewer apprenticeships and the better childcare that East Germany had provided.

Reunification occurred less than a year later, on October 3, 1990 a process considered by many to be too quick. However, despite the problems still faced by those in the former East Germany the consensus of the meeting was that it would face bigger problems had the East German regime remained.

The organisers along with some of the audience members shared their experience of growing up under an authoritarian regime,highlighting the role played by the Stasi – the secret police of East Germany.

Dunblane and Bridge of Allan Councillor, Alastair Majury, who attended the event, said: “This was a fascinating evening, with personal accounts from those who grew up on both sides of the wall, and a reminder not to take freedom of expression and democracy for granted. It was also a reminder that some people haven’t learned the lesson of history and still want to build walls today.”