Thursday, November 9, 2017

The front of all wisdom

I lovingly call my brother "the font of all wisdom." Here is his trivia comment for the day:

The Germans call today, 9 November, the "Schicksaltag" - the "Day of Fate."  Not only did the Berlin Wall come down (1989), but also Kaiser Bill abdicated (1918), Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch took place (1923) and, most notoriously, the Nazis conducted their Kristallnacht pogrom (1938).  I wondered in 1989 if the East Germans let the Wall open on the same day as the Kristallnacht to drown that memory, but in fact it's pure coincidence - a result of an unforced error by the DDR's press spokesman.  The Germans considered using November 9 as their reunification date, but opted not to do so - so that the event would not overshadow the memory of the pogrom.

In "To the Sun for Freedom," Peter Siefert goes through the Wall at the Bormholmer Strasse crossing at about 10:30 PM.

BTW "To the Sun for Freedom" is one of Al's (unpublished) books.   

Fair winds and following seas :)

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