Hansgert Lambers Berlin, Schönhauser Allee, corner Metzer Straße

Berlin, Schönhauser Allee, corner Metzer Straße

On 11/11/1989 toward noontime I indeed swam against the stream of the enormous crowd of people. I wanted to get into the capital of the GDR via Bornholmer Brücke. The bewildered frontier guards finally let me through because I still had an entry clearance. I entered an almost deserted city. Aimlessly I wandered through the November-greyed streets. Because of the monstrous wall opening event two days before, I was not able to focus on taking pictures that day although I exactly knew the “Prenzlauer Berg”. – I could finally visually capture the unaccustomed emptiness at the lower end of Schönhauser Allee, which as the secret main street of East Berlin always appeared rather lively to me, and there at its intersection with the Metzer Street. The poster of the New Forum gave me the timing. Then I retreated confusedly. The border crossing was empty now. The GDR citizens were now at the Kudamm and I adjourned to my Charlottenburg residence continuing to feel stunned.