Past Present Future What if… The Berlin Wall Hadn’t Fallen?
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Sep 15, 2024 
Lea Ypi, a regular contributor, delves into the fascinating counterfactual of what the world might look like if the Berlin Wall had not fallen. The conversation reveals how the wall's unexpected collapse shaped modern geopolitics. Ypi discusses the bureaucratic blunders that led to its fall and explores alternative scenarios for East Germany's future. She also reflects on the enduring impacts of reunification on contemporary Germany and the lessons from Eastern European democracy that resonate today.
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Historian's Prediction
- David Runciman recalls a conversation with a German historian weeks before the wall fell.
- The historian predicted a bloodbath, highlighting the perceived stability of such regimes.
Academic Predictions
- A Harvard professor, a week before the fall, predicted the Berlin Wall wouldn't fall in his lifetime.
- This highlights the unpredictability of political events despite historical knowledge.
Schabowski's Press Conference
- Gunter Schabowski's press conference, announcing new travel regulations, inadvertently triggered the wall's fall.
- His unclear answers about the regulations' immediate effect led to people amassing at the border.