Berlin Wall Fall silver jubilee – 1914, 1989 and 1994 remembered

THIS year has seen a strange confluence of anniversaries. The anniversary of the first World War coinciding with the events which lead to the end of the Cold War in 1989 and the Fall of the Berlin Wall, all aligning in a fantastic compression of history.

The sequence of events which resulted in Cape Town’s legendary Purple Rain, and the last illegal march, or Cape Town Peace March as it is known, also lead to the unbanning of political parties and the release of Nelson Mandela.

Obviously 1994 has a special resonance, since this was the year in which South Africa had its very first democratic election.

Pity the centenary of world war one has tended to overshadow the silver jubilee (25th anniversary) of the end of the Cold War, but if you think about it, peace is a lot more worth celebrating. There is still time, since the Velvet Revolution in Europe took several months and a trip back in the history books. to a period which unleashed economic booms, youth culture and freedom, is well worth the effort, if only to escape the announcement of yet another war in the Middle East.

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