28 years, 2 months, 26 days

28 years, 2 months, 26 days

Zirkeltag
photo from n-tv news https://www.n-tv.de/politik/DDR-wird-zu-oft-als-Regionalthema-gesehen-article20267736.html

Thats exactly, how long the Berlin wall stood. And thats exactly, how long it was down again on February 5th, 2018.  Truly a day to commemorate. Many cultural and public institutions in Berlin did and it was all over the news, too.

Thus, I was also made aware of this fact. I even learned a new German word: Zirkeltag. This is, what such a day is called, halfing a certain time span. Seems, there is no English counterpart, at least I wasn’t able to find a translation.

But back to the wall: I am sure, to anyone visiting the city, the wall only exists as an interesting historical fact. Whereas the residents still seem to feel it.

My sweetheart, a born and bred Berliner, who is old enough to have lived through the erection and fall of The Wall, said last night: “I can’t believe it is down as long as it has been standing. To me it still feels, as if the wall has been standing much, much longer as it has been down again.”

Another fact: Because it is so personal in this city, the entire “wall-business” is treated much as a local, regional thing. The historical dimension is often overlooked.

mauer
Photo from ntv-news https://www.n-tv.de/politik/DDR-wird-zu-oft-als-Regionalthema-gesehen-article20267736.html

 

One thought on “28 years, 2 months, 26 days”

  1. For “Zirkeltag” I would translate it as “the day something comes full circle”.
    I understand the sweetheart’s feelings completely. I remember my high school German teacher telling us that the Germanies would probably never reunite – as if the Wall would be forever. I can hardly fathom that the momentous day of it falling was frigging 28 (!!) years ago.

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