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Iron Curtain separating East and West is in its final moments under the immense pressure of change. But not all Eastern Bloc countries do the same. East Germany keeps the door to freedom firmly closed. And further south, in Hungary, the first breach in the barbed wire appears on the border with Austria, when the government simply stops maintaining the fence. By August, more than 6,000 people had quietly slipped out of Hungary, making their way through the vineyards to Austria and the hope of a new way of life. One of the catalysts for change was the process of understanding between East and West, known as détente or glasnost. Thanks to the détente, relations warmed, and in May, part of the Iron Curtain fell along the Austro- Hungarian border. The
stream of people across the fence dividing Hungary and Austria turns into a torrent. Most refugees are from one country, East Germany. For almost three decades, the Berlin Wall was a physical symbol of division. However, history teaches us that true transformation did not begin when the concrete fell. It began when ordinary people decided to understand each other, striving for a better life beyond the barriers that kept them isolated. In our own lives, invisible barriers can feel just as oppressive: whether it's burnout, anxiety, or the burden of supporting a loved one through a difficult time, keeping it all inside can leave us feeling alone.
Breaking down these internal walls often starts with understanding, and that's where today's paid partner-Better Help-can help you. Better Help makes starting therapy simple. By completing a short test, you can quickly find a qualified therapist who meets your needs. You can communicate in any way convenient for you: via phone, video, or message, and change therapists at any time without additional charge. To date, over 6 million people have sought support through Better Help, earning it a 4.8 out of five rating on the App Store. Plus, with Better Help's insurance options, therapy can be more affordable than you think, with co- pays starting at $15 with insurance. Many
Better Help users pay $15 or less. Some pay $0. Don't have insurance or don't live in the United States? You can still get a 10% discount on the first month. Follow the link in the description or visit betterhelp.com/absolutehistory to learn about your options. Now let 's go back to the dramatic last hours before the open border became a magnet for those disillusioned with communism. During the summer, East Germans, in particular, traveled south to get to the west. Guards stopped some would-be escapees, but rows of abandoned cars suggest that most escapes were successful. A sense of euphoria grows as more and more people from the Eastern Bloc countries set off for freedom in the West. The Hungarians are making
almost no effort to stop the mass escapes. Holiday trips to Budapest turned into the trip of a lifetime. Refugee camps are springing up around Budapest. Hungary is running out of resources to cope with so many people. East Germany rushes to close the border with Hungary, but people are now fleeing to embassies and airports in Czechoslovakia and Poland. And it's not just East Germany that suffers from this pressure. Trains and planes filled with refugees from the East are also arriving in West Germany. Then a watershed event occurs in East Germany, caused by a simple misunderstanding.
November 9, 1989. At a confusing press conference, a Politburo spokesman November 9th, the meeting, the conference was just like any other conference. No one expected anything significant to happen. Politburo member Shabovsky made a statement that travel to the West would be permitted. The press was very aggressive and wanted to know exactly when. When will it start? He couldn't remember, so he started going through his papers and came across a project that hadn't been approved. But he said, "Right now." And the rest is history wrong answer to a press conference question changes the course of history. Almost instantly, citizens emerge from their homes, forming huge crowds on both sides of the Berlin Wall. On
the night of November 9-10, 1989, after 28 years of forced separation, people begin to tear down the wall. Soon after, the entire German border opens. Border guards, known for their brutality, refuse to shoot fleeing East Germans. Within 3 days, bulldozers were brought in, and the main symbol of division during the Cold War fell. The fall of the Berlin Wall is a cause for joy both in Germany and around the world. Many of you were n't even born when the Berlin Wall was built in 1961. The Iron Curtain fell.
It was an incredible feeling of peace and the realization that the danger had diminished German reunification will take place on October 3, 1990. October 3rd is
