德国总理默克尔星期一公开感谢前苏联总统戈尔巴乔夫，感谢他在二十年前允许变革，导致了柏林墙的开放。默克尔在柏林举行的纪念柏林墙倒塌20周年的仪式上向戈尔巴乔夫表示感谢,默克尔站在戈尔巴乔夫和前波兰总统瓦文萨中间。默克尔总理对戈尔巴乔夫说， “由于你才可能实现,”当时有数百人欢呼着聚集在柏林的波荷木大桥下。
这座大桥是1989年11月9日东西德分界线上首先开放的过境点。柏林墙倒塌导致德国的统一， 也是东欧各国共产党政府垮台的一个里程碑事件。有关官员们说， 预计有10万人参加星期一被称为“自由节日”的庆祝活动。
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday publicly thanked former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for allowing changes two decades ago that led to the opening of the Berlin Wall. Flanked by Mr. Gorbachev and former Polish President Lech Walesa, Ms. Merkel expressed her gratitude at ceremonies in Berlin marking the 20th anniversary of the wall’s opening. “You made this possible,” the chancellor said as she addressed Mr. Gorbachev in front of hundreds of cheering people gathered at the foot of Berlin’s Bornholmer Bridge.
The bridge was the first crossing between East and West Berlin to open on November 9, 1989. The opening led to the reunification of the country, and was a key milestone in the collapse of communism across eastern Europe. Officials say 100,000 were expected at Monday’s festivities, dubbed the “Festival of Freedom.”