OH+Reflection

Topic: The Fall of the Berlin Wall Interview Subject: Tadeusz Gluszczuk (my Grandfather who lives in Poland) I enjoy learning about world history, and I have learned so much history from my Grandfather. It is interesting to learn about the evolution of government and how all of Europe can be affected by the events in one country. After the Second World War, there were many changes in Europe. Not only Europe was divided into Eastern and Western but Germany, too. One country was divided into two and although the people had the same "roots" and spoke the same language they were on the two sides of "the wall", so different sides. The Cold War affected all European countries. But people did not accept changes and they fought for their freedom. It took almost 50 years but they were successful.

The impact of the Fall of Berlin Wall is very important. The wall restricted the rights of the German people. After it was torn down, the East and West Germany became one country. Also, it was part of a chain reaction in Europe. Communism slowly fell apart throughout the Eastern Europe. Country after country was changing politics, government and initiating reforms. The Cold War was over. European Union was created in 1993. Since 1993 many European countries had joined the Union. Europe became one big "mother country" with its own government and parlament that consist of many countries with their own government, language, and culture almost like the United States of America. People can travel if they want. They can go to school in one country and then work in another. In each country they speak their own language but a lot of people learn other languages. People learn English, French, Italian, and other languages. I think that English is the most popular.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall is like my Grandpa said "the symbol of the end of the Wall, the end of the Cold War, the end of Communism, and the reunification of Germany". It was the end of one chapter in European history and beginning of the next one. Hopefully, the better one.