THE FORREST GUMP ADVENTURES OF AN ORDINARY HOUSEWIFE

In November of 1989, as a direct result of the Summit in D.C., Gorbachev had been stopping by all his satellite states making speeches of Glasnost and Peristroyka, in an attempt to ready the failing empire of the Soviet Communists for a friendly economic handout from the West. His most significant stop had been in East Berlin. Up until July of 1989, people were still being shot trying to escape to the West. Gorbachev had gone through and told Helmut Kohl, that the killing of people trying to escape was no longer the policy, and that in the future, The Wall would have to come down.

The news that people would no longer be shot at The Wall spread through East Berlin like a firestorm. Then on November 9th, 1989, Kohl went on live, East German TV after Gorbachev’s visit to summarize the position of the Communist regime. As he was explaining what Gorbachev’s purpose in visiting had been, and that people were no longer being shot, he was slipped a note reminding him to also include that The Wall would be open in the future. Well, under the pressure of major policy shifts, and live TV, Studibert retold the “real” story (that only a Presidential staffer would know): Kohl read the note wrong, and announced to everyone that “The Wall is now open.”

There was no turning back. The floodgates, so to speak, had been open and the dam burst. And even though Gorbachev phoned Kohl (November 10th, 1989) and told him he needed to gain back some control of the situation (this phone conversation is available to the public) the genie was out of the bottle. The results were captured by every news agency in the world. The incredible and exhilarating live shots of the East and West Germans on that Wall of shame, breaking it apart, pounding it down with everything they could find, and generally partying on top of the Wall sealed the fate of the Soviets. Even though water cannons were brought out to stop people from tearing down The Wall (in response to Gorbachev's order to contain the situation), the hemorrhaging continued unevenly, but undeterred.

As I watched the images on TV, how I wished I were there with all my might. I think everyone in the whole world was thinking that same thing: To see that Wall of death and shame come down in that instant – even faster than when it had gone up 30 years ago – was moving beyond words, thoughts, or feelings. As I made my wish, my fairy godmother was listening, for I was to be granted that wish very soon.