We've been looking forward to it all year and now it's almost time. On Monday the festival week starts around the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. From 4 to 10 November, around 200 events will take place at seven locations closely linked to the fall of the Berlin Wall. We've picked out the most exciting ones for you. Have fun next week!
Tip 1: Big stage show at the Brandenburg Gate
On 9 November, the big stage show at the Brandenburg Gate will take place in the evening - the highlight of the festival week marking the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Well-known artists whose music is connected to the fall of the Berlin Wall will perform. Berlin's governing mayor Michael Müller, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and civil rights activist Marianne Birthler will also speak. Anna Loos, Dirk Michaelis, the Staatskapelle under the direction of Daniel Barenboim and many more will provide good music. Admission is free of charge.
When: 4 - 10 November
Where: Brandenburg gate, Mitte
Tip 2: Do your Berlin HANDSHAPE
Have you ever been part of an art project? If not, then here is your chance: with your handprint - the Berlin HANDSHAPE - you become part of an art installation. You'll also get into conversation with a stranger and discover what you have in common. A total of 10,957 handshapes and stories will be collected for Berlin HANDSHAPE - so many days have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The result is a work of art for Berlin. At the Berlin Wall Memorial, our promoters await you and bring you into conversation with another person. Make your Berlin HANDSHAPE.
When: Tuesday until Sunday 12.30 - 5.30 pm
Where: Documentation Centre, Bernauer Str. 111, Prenzlauer Berg
More information about Berlin HANDSHAPE
Tip 3: Let your message fly in the sky
Do you have a message for Berlin and the world - 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall? During the festival week thousands of messages and wishes will float in the sky above the Brandenburg Gate. Join in and submit your message.
When: as of now
Where: online
Tip 4: 4-11-89 Theatre of the Revolution
On November 4, 1989, the largest free demonstration took place in the GDR on Alexanderplatz. The theatre collective PKRK will recreate it with 60 women and a punk. The performance theatre will resurrect the demonstration with dance and drama.
When: Monday, 5.30 – 7.30 pm
Where: Alexanderplatz, Mitte
Tip 5: What is here now, what was here once – Light installation
Every evening during the festival week a light installation awaits you on the Spree. Near the Oberbaum bridge the artist Rainer W. Gottemeier installs a light axis of 150 meters. Luminous buoys float along the former border in the Spree.
When: every evening during the festival week from 5 pm
Where: East Side Gallery, Friedrichshain
Tip 6: Blues fairs – musical expression of an unwanted opinion
In the Gethsemane church a dialogue takes place between musicians and organizers of the oppositional youth culture in the GDR. The well-known and legendary blues masses in the GDR even attracted people from all over the GDR who were not even in a church. The government tried to prevent this - those involved remember.
When: Monday, from 7 pm
Where: Gethsemane church, Prenzlauer Berg
Tip 7: Your voice counts
In this workshop for young people, texts will be developed together with well-known slam poets, which will also be presented at the end. What is exciting about this event is that the generation that only knows the fall of the Berlin Wall from stories or history lessons has its say here. She shows us her perspective on walls that still exist today.
When: Monday until Friday, 9 am – 1 pm
Where: Kurfürstendamm, programme pavilion, Charlottenburg
Tip 8: Wall Broadcast
For 15 minutes, singing the memories of the fall of the Wall from your soul together - these are the Wall Broadcasts, which take place in different places. Come along and sing along, e.g. on Sunday at the Schlossplatz.
When: Sunday, from 2 pm
Where: Palace Square, Mitte
Tip 9: You don't say anything on the phone
At the Stasi headquarters you can visit the installation "You don't say anything on the telephone". Here you can learn how personal information was collected through surveillance and present original telephone conversations tapped by the Stasi.
When: daily during the festival week
Where : Stasi Museum, Lichtenberg
Tip 10: Opposition & Subculture
The international short film programme "Opposition & Subculture" shows you seven short films in 90 minutes. It's about resistance in divided Germany back then and today all over the world.
When: Friday, from 5 pm and Saturday, from 1 pm
Where: Zions church, Prenzlauer Berg
Tipp 11: Read the most exciting stories about the seven places in the ABOUT Berlin App
Numbers, dates, facts - the ABOUT BERLIN app doesn't offer you exactly that. Instead, here you can read the most exciting stories behind the historical facts. The seven places of the Peaceful Revolution come alive and let you feel history in a new and surprising way.
Meanwhile you can find the stories of over 200 places in the app.
When: whenever you want
Where: whereever you want
More information about the App
You will find the complete program of the festival week 30 Years Peaceful Revolution - Fall of the Wall here.
Interesting and curious facts can be found in our infographics about 30 years of the fall of the wall.
