Berlin celebrates 25th year since wall fell

World

Nov. 9, 2014 - Updated 21:33 UTC

People in Germany have celebrated the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of the Cold War between East and West, and the unification of the country.

Chancellor Angela Merkel visited the main memorial site for the Wall on Sunday. She laid flowers to honor the memory of those who died at the wall, trying to flee from East to West Berlin.

In her speech, Merkel said the fall of the wall showed that people have the power to shape their own destiny and make things better.

She said it should inspire people in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere around the world whose freedom and rights are being threatened.
The remaining section of the Berlin Wall attracts many visitors, even today.

A woman from the former East Germany and whose husband is from the former West said it is wonderful that the collapse of the Wall made it possible for her to meet her future husband. She said she wouldn't have been able to meet him, had the Wall not come down.

As part of the celebrations, about 8,000 balloons with people's message were laid out along a 15-kilometer stretch for the past three days to represent the Wall.

The balloons were released one by one on Sunday. Crowds cheered when they soared up into the night sky.