WALL'S FALL
On the evening of Nov. 9, 1989, West German television broadcast the news that communist authorities had decided to lift travel restrictions and allow East Germans to travel more or less freely.
The reports were based on a confusing announcement by a senior East German official who had failed to spell out various caveats to the new policy.
Before the communist authorities could set the record straight, thousands of East Berliners had pushed their way past perplexed border guards to celebrate freedom with their brethren in the West.
The communist dictatorship was swept away within months. On Oct. 3, 1990, East and West Germany became one country again.
