Twenty Years Later
Posted in The world was a very different place 20 years ago. Europe was divided between two opposing powers, engaged in a “Cold War” for decades. Germany was split in two. A wall split its former capital, helping to make those in East Germany prisoners in their own country. Then the wall came down and all was changed.
Last Summer those who attended NOAC were told about the Power of One. In this case, it was the power of a few: those who dared to dream of freedom for Germany and Europe and who lead others towards that end.
First, President Kennedy came to Berlin at the height of the Cold War.
Then President Reagan dared to believe freedom could triumph over tyranny and famously demanded the Wall come down. His words would shake politics in the US and be derided by his opponents as reckless and poorly chosen.
Let us not forget other leaders responsible for the fall of the Berlin Wall. Mikhail Gorbachev opened up the Soviet Union, hoping a bit of perestroika and glasnost could satiate the desire for freedom within his “Evil Empire”. He was wrong. However, his restraint during the heady days of twenty years ago helped prevent what could have been a very different chain of events and later became the first Soviet leader to voluntarily relinquish his position; not to die in office or be forced out by opponents, but to calmly accept his fate and step down. Lady Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to become Prime Minister of Great Britain, was a staunch defender of freedom and ally of the United States. Lech Walesa of Poland rose from being a dock worker to union leader and eventually the leader of a free Poland. Karol Wojtyla rose from being a parish priest, to cardinal, and — in what I believe was truly divine inspiration — the first non-Italian elected Pope in over 400 years. Many believe the Roman Catholic church will some day recognize him to be amount the ranks of the Saints.
Note the number of times I used the word “first” in the preceding paragraph.
These are all examples of the Power of One.
After the Wall fell, the late Leonard Bernstein led the combined forces of instrumentalists and singers from Germany, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. He directed one word to be changed in the “Ode to Joy”. Freude (Joy) became Freiheit (Freedom).
O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen,
und freudenvollere.
Freiheit! Freiheit! …(Oh friends, not these tones!
Rather, let us raise our voices in more pleasing
And more joyful sounds!
Freedom! Freedom! …)
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