"There will come a day when the Germans in the G.D.R. decide whether they want to form one state with the Germans in the Federal Republic... the Federal Republic will have to face up to its provisional character, which will be hard for a lot of people'' (Frankfurter Allgemeine, in Schmemann, 1989). Schmemann forecasts that unification will not be easy or simple, noting that demonstrators in the GDR with slogans "We are staying here" shows their pride and identity is not for a unified Germany.
After the opening of the Wall and free elections to follow, "the wall was reduced to a benign fence between neighboring cousins", he reported from East Berlin. "The opening of the Brandenburg Gate would not only make it unnecessary to have a wall, it might also make it unnecessary to take the wall down" (Schmemann, 1989)
Schmemann, S. (1989) Beyond the Wall; Not Just One German Question But Many. [online] http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/12/weekinreview/beyond-the-wall-not-just-one-german-question-but-many.html [12/03/2010]
