Wikipedia, under the article "Wende in der DDR ("the turning point in the GDR")", describes this as
"Im Herbst 1989 protestierte eine wachsende Zahl von DDR-Bürgern in einer Reihe von friedlichen Demonstrationen gegen die Politik der SED. Repressionsmaßnahmen wie die Schließung der Grenze zur Tschechoslowakei im September 1989 oder Polizeieinsätze gegen Demonstranten wie Anfang Oktober 1989 in Berlin erhöhten die Unzufriedenheit. Die SED-Führung verzichtete zuletzt auf den Einsatz von Staatsgewalt gegen die Demonstranten, versuchte durch einen Wechsel des Spitzenpersonals und durch Dialogbereitschaft am „Runden Tisch“ vergeblich politische Initiative zurückzugewinnen, ließ am 9. November 1989 die Grenzöffnung zur Bundesrepublik und West-Berlin zu und musste ihre Machtposition schließlich aufgeben und den Weg zu einer frei gewählten Volksvertretung freigeben."
TRANSLATION: - In the autumn of 1989, an increasing number of GDR-habitants protests in a row from peaceful demonstrations against the politics of the SED. Law enforcements measurements, such as the closing of the border to the Czech Republic in September 1989 or the riot police against the protestors, like in beginning of October 1989 in Berlin, only increased the unhappiness. The SED-party waivered lastly on a deployment of lawyers against the protestors, tried through a change of keyleaders and through talks at the "round table" in futile attempts to win back political initiative. Despite this, they let the borders open to the German Republic (West Germany) and West-Berlin on the 9th of November and had to lastly give up their powerful position to ensure a path to freely-chosen parliament."
I was born 2 years after this fact, and despite having a mother who grew up in the DDR (GDR to all you english speaking people) I can't imagine what it was like to grow up in a divided country. All that I know from the DDR is from movies, history lessons and from stories told to me by my german relatives who grew up or are old enough to remember these times.
But from what I have been told, I feel grateful for the times that I grew up and that because of, what would have been now 60 years DDR, those times and the stories it also makes me aware that i had it so much lighter than my mum. Yes it was a different generation, but I grew up in a country where I could freely see my family and friends, not having to live in fear that my official permission to leave the country may not be approved. And thanks to mum living in the DDR and wanting more than living a very controlled country, I grew up knowing freedom and fighting for those who dont have a better life than i do.
GOTH VS. EMOS
This is probably a topic that has been discussed way too many times but its a topic that came into my mind on the walk to the train station on the way home. Basically it generates from a memory (recent one mind you) where dad and i were at a second hand bookshop back in Australia, on the one street where a lot of emos walk past (because there is a rather large independent CD store further up the street - to get there you kinda have to walk past this second hand bookstore). Somehow the conversation with the bookseller turned to goths and emos and what the hell the difference is. Best description i have heard to distinguish them both - "Emos - the parents pay for the clothing"That lead me to think what is the actual difference between these two very similar but different "stereotypes".
So doing some research on the internet (thank you Google father company of blogger!) i came up from this answer on yahoo answers (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060817075421AAgLcEk) from the user Solrium.
"Goths - these are the little brothers and sisters, spawned from the Elder Goths - grew up in the 90s; a lot more violent, and quiet a bit more anti-disestablishment. They saw the inaction of elder goths as weak mindedness and general lack of "true feelings." They were very passionate, however stood tight to the feelings of intelligence and understanding. Many are currently in their 20s' and various still maintain a strong appearance, while others have lowered their flags to try and make some money in the world.
now emo:
Emo: besides the original use of it in the 1980s, which was the exact opposite as it is today - Emo kids think it stands short for "emotional"; however it's something MUCH different.
Look it up, I won't go much into it.
Anyway - Emo kids wear jeans and a black shirt - not the common all black wear of a Goth; and they don't do the entire industrial scene, which a Goth wouldn't mind. Emo kids wear jeans and a band shirt, have black hair, and unlike their cousins the Goths - they don't believe in disestablishment, instead, they don't give two flying screws about the Establishment of the poltiical or religious scene.
Instead, all they worry about is themselves. How the world affects them. How their parents are against them. How everyone is against them. Their dog is against them. Their girlfriend was obviously planning on breaking his heart the whole time.
The entire emo scene promotes self centerdness, and pitty, in attempts to gain attention and praise, support from others. Instead of the Goth/Punk scene that strode towards self accomplishments and self realization through the blood and sweat of the self.
Oh, and you'd never see an Emo kid doing a suspension or a crucification off of fish hooks for fun like some of the "extreme" industrial goths would. Instead, Emo hasn't had enough time to grow as a culture to allow for difference inside of itself, and an "extreme" Emo kid is basically one that puts a suicide note on myspace and goes through with killing himself. Maybe in 10 years time we will see the spawn of the Emo children, and have some variation to the blood, but as of right now it's a heavily influenced MTV scene that has not had any time to grab hold as a subculture in itself."
Me, I think I am sitting on the borderline between emo and normal...According to facebook, I am an indie emo. But like most things, you shouldn't really take those quizzes seriously. But just for the sake of arguments I am just going to use it. But i don't really consider myself to be an emo - just because i like some screamo music, black hoodies, black skinny jeans, my connies, and the alternate colour in my hair it doesnt mean i am an emo...
Okay I know this was a long long long long (breaks the up-til-now-non-existent-record-of-longest-post ever!) post but it's kinda a make-up post to the silent internet-frequencies due to my travels.
"Another promise, another scene, another
A package not to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
(So come on!)" Uprising by Muse
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