A special day in German history (09/11)

November 9 — is a special date in the history of Germany in the 20th century, it is also called Fateful Day (German). Schicksalstag). The term began to be used by historians and journalists after World War II, but became especially popular after the events of 1989 that marked the beginning of German unification.

On November 9, several significant events took place for Germany: in 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne, 5 years later the famous «beer putsch» in Munich, led by Adolf Hitler, was suppressed, 15 years later the National Socialists organized Jewish pogroms, and in 1989 the Berlin Wall fell.

Great day of 1989

On this day in 1989, the Berlin Wall — of one of the most famous symbols of the «cold war» — fell and the process of German reunification began.

It all happened unexpectedly on the evening of November 9, 1989. At another sluggishly current press conference dedicated to the work of the SED Central Committee, Politburo member Günter Schabowski was asked by Italian journalist Riccardo Erman about new rules for travel by GDR citizens to capitalist countries for up to 30 days.

Schabowski leafed through his papers and read out the decision: « GDR citizens are allowed to apply for private trips abroad without good reason. A travel permit will be issued in a short time». Thus, Schabowski, without knowing it, opened the borders of the GDR.

Residents of East Berlin immediately took advantage of the opportunity to visit the West. Thousands of people rushed to checkpoints on the border with West Berlin that same evening. The GDR border service was not prepared for such a rapid development of events. The border guards were completely confused and soon opened checkpoints.

After the fall of the communist regime in the GDR, the destruction of the wall by jubilant Berliners immediately began. Soon most of it was dismantled for souvenirs. Now there is the Berlin Wall Museum, which tells what tricks people used to overcome it.

In November 2004, on the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the opening ceremony of the Berlin Wall monument took place in the German capital. It consists of a restored 200-meter-long section of the wall at the site of the «Charlie» checkpoint, the main crossing between the western and eastern parts of Berlin. Nearby are 1,065 crosses in memory of the people killed in 1961—1989 while trying to escape from East Germany to West Germany.

Caution Day 1923

On November 9, 1923, the «beer putsch» (coup attempt), organized by Adolf Hitler and his supporters, was suppressed in Munich. The putsch got its name from the place «Bürgerbraukeller» (Burgerbraukeller) — of a huge beer hall in Munich, where about 3,000 people gathered on the evening of November 8 to listen to a speech by Bavarian government member Gustav von Kara and local high officials.

Hitler, relying on the forceful support of about 600 members of the SA (Nazi assault troops), tried to overthrow the Bavarian and Berlin governments. He captured the speakers and, with threats, obtained an agreement from members of the government that the next day the Bavarian army would head to Berlin to overthrow the government. Hitler was going to act like Mussolini, who a year earlier had captured Rome with a small detachment.

On November 9, 1923, a detachment of approximately 3,000 Nazis marched to Munich's central square. However, Bavarian leaders changed their intentions at the last moment and set up a cordon of local police in the square. As a result, Hitler, like others, ended up in prison, receiving a minimum sentence of — 5 years. In fact, he was in prison for only nine months, during which he managed to begin his literary opus «Mein Kampf» («My struggle»).

«Beer putsch», despite its failure, glorified Hitler. All German newspapers wrote about him, and weekly newspapers published his portraits. They started talking about him. And already in 1933, Hitler came to power democratically. His party won a majority of votes in the Reichstag elections, which gave him the right under the constitution to become chancellor, that is, the head of the German government.

Republic Day 1918

And again, on November 9, only 1918, the collapse of the monarchy occurred in German history. Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicated the throne. Reich Chancellor Max von Baden resigned and entrusted the Social Democrat Friedrich Ebert with the formation of a new government.

Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed a democratic republic in Germany from the Reichstag window. Trying to get ahead of events a few hours earlier, communist Karl Liebknecht, on behalf of the revolutionary proletariat, proclaimed Germany a socialist republic. Germany did not become socialist, but the establishment of a democratic republic had a huge impact on the entire development of the country.

These are the historical coincidences that happened in the life of Germany in the 20th century on November 9th.

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