The Berlin Wall 9th November 1989

The German Berlin Wall officially opened up on the 9 November 1989, a significant moment in European history, especially for the German families and communities who were able to unite again after 28 years of forced separation.

The Berlin Wall was built during the “Cold War” in 1961 and was constructed by the German Democratic Republic the GDR, East Germany. The Berlin Wall cut off East Germany until November 1989 when the government officials opened the wall. The demolition of the Berlin Wall started in June 1990 and finished in 1992. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls accompanied by a wide area later known as the death strip.

Here on Norfolk Island, there are many walls, especially downtown in Kingston, the KAVHA world heritage site. Many of these historic walls were built during the British Penal Convict Settlement (1825-1855). Some of the walls were to keep the stores safe and unauthorised people out and many of the old stone walls were designed to keep the convicts confined in gaols. There are also still many retaining walls and fences visible at Kingston and conservation work over many generations have kept the Norfolk Island World Heritage site intact and not developed and built over.

I always enjoy researching historic events as well as photographing our Norfolk Island landscape. Here are a few photos of our historic walls at Kingston from the British Penal Convict Settlement, plus images from Germany I found online. I am sure the convicts inside the gaols would have loved to have had no more walls.

Betty Matthews

8 November 2024