November
2019
30th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution – fall of the Berlin Wall
A week-long festival from 4 – 10 November 2019 to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall
The opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989 remains to this day the most formative event in post-war German history. This week-long festival from 4 – 10 November will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall by transforming the German capital into a gigantic venue for open-air exhibitions and events. With hundreds of events taking place at seven original locations, the festival invites visitors to learn from and remember the events of 1989, to talk about then and now, and to celebrate this historic achievement in a tribute to the courage of the people in Central and Eastern Europe and the German Democratic Republic who fought for their democratic rights and eventually brought down the SED regime and the Berlin Wall.
7 Locations – 7 Days
Berlin will be transformed into an open-air stage at seven locations that even today are inextricably linked to the events of 1989 and 1990:
Gethsemane Curch
Alexanderplatz
Schlossplatz
Brandenburg Gate
Kurfürstendamm
Stasi Headquarters
East Side Gallery
On 4 November 1989 roughly half a million people gathered on Alexanderplatz at the largest rally in the history of the GDR. 3D video projections featuring historical images, animations and sound effects will evoke the magical atmosphere of that historical moment in a multimedia spectacle at all seven festival locations on every day of the week from dusk until late.
Open-air exhibitions at each of the festival locations will bring to life the events of those momentous days, recounting the stories and histories where they unfolded and continue to unfold into the present day. Contemporary witnesses with diverse links to the Peaceful Revolution and the opening of the Wall will share their personal experiences.
Several hundred events in a variety of formats await visitors to the festival, including concerts, theatrical performances, films, readings, tours, talks with witnesses, workshops, poetry slams, performances and panel discussions. The festival promises to deliver a programme for all ages that is as diverse as the many stories and voices showcased throughout the week.
The evening of 9 November
Berlin will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Wall with a stage show at the Brandenburg Gate on 9 November. One of Berlin’s most famous monuments will provide the backdrop for a celebration to commemorate the day on which the Berlin Wall was opened. With an impressive stage programme featuring national and international artists, speeches and artistic performances, this event is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors.
A festival for everyone to join
This festival is a platform for cooperation and participation. The programme will feature a range of formats that will offer visitors the opportunity to get involved and contribute to the celebration. A calendar of events will be hosted on this website from September 2019, providing an overview of the many events in Berlin both during and around the festival. Museums, memorial centres, clubs, educational institutions, public initiatives and artistic groups are all invited to participate. Organizers are invited to register events taking place through to 15 January 2020 and these will be added to the calendar.
Registration forms
“Done with Courage!” – The film project
Part of the week-long festival “30th Anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution – Fall of the Berlin Wall” from 4 – 10 November 2019
We want your perspective on courage, the Berlin Wall, and the walls of today. Hit the streets, take a look around, shoot your own movie and we will show your work during the festival week (4 – 10 November 2019) when the city of Berlin will be transformed into a unique open-air venue. Our screenings will celebrate the courage of all those who peacefully stood up for their democratic rights and brought down the Berlin Wall thirty years ago. Submissions will be accepted through to 2 October. Please register by 16 August 2019.
Done with Courage is a Kulturprojekte Berlin project developed in collaboration with the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Families and staged in cooperation with KR.Film.
All films should be the collaborative work of at least two film-makers. For further information, download the guidelines available below.
The movies can be submitted until 2 October 2019. The deadline for registering is 2 September 2019.
Use this form to register your team or organisation for the film project.
For questions relating to content or copyright & data protection, please contact:
Melanie Eichler
[email protected]
T +49 (0)30 96602441
Office hours: Starting on 5 August, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 3 pm and 6:30 pm
For questions relating to technical support (capture settings, export, upload, etc.), please contact:
Tech hotline KR.FILM
T +49 (0)30 467242455
Office hours: Starting on 5 August, Mondays to Fridays between 2 pm and 5 pm
Press
Dear press representatives,
all information and documents relevant to the press will be made available on this page. We request that the images made available on this page be published only in conjunction with reporting on the festival 30th Anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution – Fall of the Berlin Wall and always with the applicable captions and copyright credits. Please direct all inquiries or requests for additional material to our team.
Press contact
Susanne Galle
Head of Press and Public Relations
Kulturprojekte Berlin
T +49 (0)30 247 49 – 864
[email protected]