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EP President David Sassoli and President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Schäuble commemorated the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989.

The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, paid tribute to courageous European citizens “who peacefully, without any violence, but through the strength of their own will alone, were able to overcome the yoke to which they had been subjected for decades.”

He warned, however, that “unfortunately, European democracy, and the values and principles on which it is based, is not irreversible. It requires the commitment and determination of all of us to defend them.” (…) “As a witness of those extraordinary days in Berlin, I cannot help but look with great concern, at the return, in Europe, of ghosts we thought were dead and buried under the weight of history”, he added, deploring the resurgence of anti-Semitism and on the anniversary of the Paris attacks, remembering the lives lost four years ago. (Read the full speech)

The President of the German Parliament, Wolfgang Schäuble, said: “Without European unification, without the desire of Europeans to grow together in East and West, there would be no German unity.” Germans will “never forget” the trust they received that made reunification possible, “despite the wounds that the Second World War, unleashed by Germany, had left on the continent”, Schäuble said.

He also warned that European values and freedom do not spread unopposed and added: “The rules-based international order is under pressure - truth no longer counts and national egoism prevails. However, the most pressing questions - feeding the world, migration, climate change and security - can only be answered globally. (…) We must overcome small-mindedness, selfishness and fear.”

A round of political group speakers and representatives from Commission and Council then wrapped up the formal sitting.

Click on the following links to watch the speeches:

Opening remarks by David SASSOLI, EP President

Address by Wolfgang SCHÄUBLE, President of the German Bundestag

One round of political group speakers

Statements by Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC and by Tytti TUPPURAINEN, Finnish Minister of the European Affairs, on behalf of the Council

Contacts:

Armin WISDORFF

Press Officer
Pressereferent

• (+32) 2 28 40924 (BXL) 
• (+33) 3 881 73780 (STR) 
• (+32) 498 98 13 45 
• armin.wisdorff@europarl.europa.eu
• presse-DE@europarl.europa.eu

Michaela FINDEIS

Press Officer / Editorial Coordinator
Pressereferentin

• (+32) 2 28 31141 (BXL) 
• (+33) 3 881 73603 (STR) 
• (+32) 498 98 33 32 
• michaela.findeis@europarl.europa.eu
• presse-DE@europarl.europa.eu

Further information

• President Sassoli's speech on the commemoration of the fall of the Berlin Wall
• Speech by Wolfgang Schäuble, President of the German Parliament (in German)
• Background: “European Parliament and the path to German reunification”
• ​EP Multimedia Centre: free photos, video and audio material