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20th Anniversary of Fall of Berlin Wall

Hanover, New Hampshire - November 9, 2009

Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, which symbolized the beginning of the end of communism in Europe.

Students in Hanover New Hampshire got to feel first hand what it was like to see the wall come down.

Uwe Goodall-Heising teaches German to language students at Hanover High. But on this day,  the front atrium of the school is his classroom. And surrounding him, a scaled down model of the Berlin wall.

"It is fun and it gives me more of a connection to the project and what I am learning about," said freshman Liz Haas.

The kids constructed the model, which forced students to detour the hallway for a day, to symbolize the wall that divided East and West Berlin during the cold war.

"And I think it brings awareness to the school more, more than just us. So instead of just the German class learning about it, I think the entire school got a bigger connection to it," said Haas.

"With the wall here in their face, they get reminded," said German teacher Uwe Goodall-Heising

Goodall-Heising was in East Germany when the wall came down. Along with teaching the language, he's also a living testament to the country's history.

"In that respect, I am a witness of the time and when do people have the chance to talk to somebody and ask questions to witnesses," said Goodall-Heising

"It is very helpful to have that perspective, I guess. First hand perspective in our class." said Paco DeFrancis, a senior.

A class that got a chance to re-enact the historic end to communism in Germany at the end of the day. As students watched the wall they created topple, they got a new insight into what they were being taught.

"To understand how much different the cultures were, and how different the political views were, and everything and how it was divided," said DeFrancis.

The students say the hand-on lesson helps them better understand the history that took place two decades ago. That kids themselves were not even alive yet to witness.

Adam Sullivan - WCAX News