Tulsa World: Berlin: Symbolic dominoes to mark fall of the Berlin Wall

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Berlin: Symbolic dominoes to mark fall of the Berlin Wall

Large dominoes stand in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Saturday, part of a display of about 1,000 dominoes placed on the former border for the Festival of Freedom on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Herbert Knosowski / Associated Press

By Associated Press
Published: 11/8/2009 2:30 AM
Last Modified: 11/8/2009 5:44 AM

Massive colorful dominoes painted by German students were placed Saturday along the former path of the Berlin Wall to mark the 20th anniversary of the opening of the barrier that divided the city for nearly three decades.

Many of the upright 7.5-foot-high plastic foam dominoes carried messages, including "We are one people." The approximately 1,000 dominoes stretching for 1 mile will be toppled Monday as part of wider celebrations of the wall's fall.

One labeled "bleeding heart" showed a sword cutting through the city of Berlin, starting a crimson flow of blood speckled with crosses.

"Everyone has walls in their heads to a certain extent," said Berlin resident Stefan Schueler. "It's always a good thing if one can break them down, and I think this is a good symbol."

Former Polish leader Lech Walesa, whose pro-democracy movement Solidarity played a key role in ending communism in Eastern Europe, is to tip the first domino Monday as the artistic display comes toppling down.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Russian President Dimitry Medvedev also are expected to be on hand Monday for the formal commemorations of the wall's fall Nov. 9, 1989.

"The fall of the wall was a very big event, and I think most Berlin residents are thankful to those who made it happen," said Berlin resident Guenter Nowak, standing beside one stretch of dominoes.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, herself

a resident of East Germany when the wall fell, said in her weekly podcast Saturday that it was a day that "changed the lives of many people including me."

"It is particularly nice for us to be able to celebrate this day with our European neighbors," Merkel said. "We Germans will not forget our neighbors and allies who made the path to German reunification possible."

Researchers estimate that 136 people were killed while trying to cross the barrier. By Associated Press

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