How I experienced the opening of the Berlin wall

26 years ago on November 9th 1989 the Berlin wall came down. During the late 80’s I was living in Berlin-Kreuzberg not far away from the wall and that strange monument had become a normal part of my life. It was just there and nobody could imagine it would just disappear as quickly as it did.
I have often been asked where I was on that historical night. In fact I attended a concert by 2 East-German punk bands at Pike Club in Ohlauer Strasse in Westberlin: Die Anderen and Feeling B (who would later form Rammstein).
East-German punk band were rare and since they did not comply with the East-German government it seemed impossible for them to play concerts in the West. But because of the on-going protests in Eastern Germany, the government seemed to have loosened regulations and let them play in Westberlin.
When my friend picked me up for the concert just a couple of blocks away from my apartment, she told me that she had heard on the radio that „they would open the wall“. I was just laughing about what seemed like a stupid joke, especially when going to an East-German punk bands concert.
So we went there, listened to the music, had a few beers too much and went home again.
Next day I woke up at lunch time by car horns steadily honking on the street. I switched on my black-and-white TV and the opening of the wall was on all channels. First I rubbed my eyes in disbelief, then looked down from my balcony and saw all those East-German Trabant driving up and down the road.
I can boldly say, I experienced the morning after the opening of the wall with a bad hangover.

Did Punk Rock Tear Down the Wall?
Interview with Flake Lorenz, Keyboarder of Feeling B and Rammstein (German language)
Wie »die anderen Bands« die letzten Jahre der DDR erlebten
(Picture: Berlinermauer, wikimedia)