Brandenburg.doc

Brandenburg Thankyou.Thankyou,verymuch. ChancellorKohl,GoverningMayorDiepgen,ladiesandgentlemen:Twentyfouryearsago,PresidentJohnF.KennedyvisitedBerlin,andspeakingtothepeopleofthiscityandtheworldatthecityhall.Wellsincethentwootherpresidentshavee,eachinhisturntoBerlin.Andtoday,I,myself,makemysecondvisittoyourcity. WeetoBerlin,weAmericanPresidents,becauseitsourdutytospeakinthisplaceoffreedom.ButImustconfess,weredrawnherebyotherthingsaswell;bythefeelingofhistoryinthiscitymorethan500yearsolderthanourownnation;bythebeautyoftheGrunewaldandtheTeirgarten;mostofall,byyourcourageanddetermination.Perhapstheposer,PaulLinke,understoodsomethingaboutAmericanPresidents.Yousee,likesomanypresidentsbeforeme,IeheretodaybecausewhereverIgo,whateverIdo:IchhabnocheinenhofferinBerlinIstillhaveasuitcaseinBerlin. OurgatheringtodayisbeingbroadcastthroughoutWesternEuropeandNorthAmerica.IunderstandthatitisbeingseenandheardaswellintheEast.TothoselisteningthroughoutEasternEurope,IextendmywarmestgreetingsandthegoodwilloftheAmericanpeople.TothoselisteninginEastBerlin,aspecialword:AlthoughIcannotbewithyou,Iaddressmyremarkstoyoujustassurelyastothosestandingherebeforeme.ForIjoinyou,asIjoinyourfellowcountrymenintheWest,inthisfirm,thisunalterablebelief:EsgibtnureinBerlin.ThereisonlyoneBerlin. Behindmestandsawallthatencirclesthefreesectorsofthiscity,partofavastsystemofbarriersthatdividestheentirecontinentofEurope.FromtheBalticSouth.thosebarrierscutacrossGermanyinagashofbarbedwire,concrete,dogruns,andguardtowers.Farthersouth,theremaybenovisible,noobviouswall.Butthereremainarmedguardsandcheckpointsallthesamestillarestrictionontherighttotravel,stillaninstrumenttoimposeuponordinarymenandwomenthewillofatotalitarianstate. Yet,itishereinBerlinwherethewallemergesmostclearly;here,cuttingacrossyourcity,wherethenewsphotoandthetelevisionscreenhaveimprintedthisbrutaldivisionofacontinentuponthemindoftheworld. StandingbeforetheBrandenburgGate,everymanisaGermanseparatedfromhisfellowmen. EverymanisaBerliner,forcedtolookuponascar. PresidentvonWeizsackerhassaid,TheGermanquestionisopenaslongastheBrandenburgGateisclosed.WelltodaytodayIsay:Aslongasthegateisclosed,aslongasthisscarofawallispermittedtostand,itisnottheGermanquestionalonethatremainsopen,butthequestionoffreedomforallmankind. Yet,Idonoteheretolament.ForIfindinBerlinamessageofhope,evenintheshadowofthiswall,amessageoftriumph. Inthisseasonofspringin1945,thepeopleofBerlinemergedfromtheirairraidshelterstofinddevastation.Thousandsofmilesaway,thepeopleoftheUnitedStatesreachedouttohelp.Andin1947SecretaryofStateasyouvebeentoldGeorgeMarshallannouncedthecreationofwhatwouldbeeknownastheMarshallPlan.Speakingprecisely40yearsagothismonth,hesaid:Ourpolicyisdirectednotagainstanycountryordoctrine,butagainsthunger,poverty,desperation,andchaos. IntheReichstagafewmomentsago,Isawadisplaymemoratingthis40thanniversaryoftheMarshallPlan.Iwasstruckbythesignonaburntout,guttedstructurethatwasbeingrebuilt.IunderstandthatBerlinersofmyowngenerationcanrememberseeingsignslikeitdottedthroughoutthewesternsectorsofthecity.Thesignreadsimply:TheMarshallPlanishelpingheretostrengthenthefreeworld.Astrong,freeworldintheWest,thatdreambecamereal.Japanrosefromruintobeeaneconomicgiant.Italy,France,BelgiumvirtuallyeverynationinWesternEuropesawpoliticalandeconomicrebirth;theEuropeanCommunitywasfounded. InWestGermanyandhereinBerlin,theretookplaceaneconomicmiracle,theWirtschaftswunder.Adenauer,Erhard,Reuter,andotherleadersunderstoodthepracticalimportanceoflibertythatjustastruthcanflourishonlywhenthejournalistisgivenfreedomofspeech,soprosperitycaneaboutonlywhenthefarmerandbusinessmanenjoyeconomicfreedom.TheGermanleaderstheGermanleadersreducedtariffs,expandedfreetrade,loweredtaxes.From1950to1960alone,thestandardoflivinginWestGermanyandBerlindoubled. Wherefourdecadesagotherewasrubble,todayinWestBerlinthereisthegreatestindustrialoutputofanycityinGermanybusyofficeblocks,finehomesandapartments,proudavenues,andthespreadinglawnsofparkland.Whereacityscultureseemedtohavebeendestroyed,todaytherearetwogreatuniversities,orchestrasandanopera,countlesstheaters,andmuseums.Wheretherewaswant,todaytheresabundancefood,clothing,automobilesthewonderfulgoodsoftheKudamm.Fromdevastation,fromutterruin,youBerlinershave,infreedom,rebuiltacitythatonceagainranksasoneofthegreatestonearth.TheSovietsmayhavehadotherplans.Butmyfriends,therewereafewthingstheSovietsdidntcountonBerlinerHerz,BerlinerHumor,ja,undBerlinerSchnauze.Berlinerheart,Berlinerhumor,yes,andaBerlinerSchnauze.* Inthe1950sInthe1950sKhrushchevpredicted:Wewillburyyou. ButintheWesttoday,weseeafreeworldthathasachievedalevelofprosperityandwellbeingunprecedentedinallhumanhistory.IntheCommunistworld,weseefailure,technologicalbackwardness,decliningstandardsofhealth,*evenwantofthemostbasickindtoolittlefood.Eventoday,theSovietUnionstillcannotfeeditself.Afterthesefourdecades,then,therestandsbeforetheentireworldonegreatandinescapableconclusion:Freedomleadstoprosperity.Freedomreplacestheancienthatredsamongthenationswithityandpeace.Freedomisthevictor.* AndnownowtheSovietsthemselvesmay,inalimitedway,beingtounderstandtheimportanceoffreedom.WehearmuchfromMoscowaboutanewpolicyofreformandopenness.Somepoliticalprisonershavebeenreleased.Certainforeignnewsbroadcastsarenolongerbeingjammed.Someeconomicenterpriseshavebeenpermittedtooperatewithgreaterfreedomfromstatecontrol. *ArethesethebeginningsofprofoundchangesintheSovietstate?Oraretheytokengestures,intendedtoraisefalsehopesintheWest,*ortostrengthentheSovietsystemwithoutchangingit?Wewelechangeandopenness;forwebelievethatfreedomandsecuritygotogether,thattheadvanceofhumanlibertytheadvanceofhumanlibertycanonlystrengthenthecauseofworldpeace. ThereisonesigntheSovietscanmakethatwouldbeunmistakable,thatwouldadvancedramaticallythecauseoffreedomandpeace. GeneralSecretaryGorbachev,ifyouseekpeace,ifyouseekprosperityfortheSovietUnionandEasternEurope,ifyouseekliberalization:Comeheretothisgate. Mr.Gorbachev,openthisgate. Mr.GorbachevMr.Gorbachev,teardownthiswall Iunderstandthefearofwarandthepainofdivisionthatafflictthiscontinent,andIpledgetoyoumycountryseffortstohelpoveretheseburdens.Tobesure,weintheWestmustresistSovietexpansion.So,wemustmaintaindefensesofunassailablestrength.Yetweseekpeace;sowemuststrivetoreducearmsonbothsides. Beginning10yearsago,theSovietschallengedtheWesternalliancewithagravenewthreat,hundredsofnewandmoredeadlySS20nuclearmissilescapableofstrikingeverycapitalinEurope.TheWesternalliancerespondedbymittingitselftoacounterdeployment(unlesstheSovietsagreedtonegotiateabettersolution)namely,theeliminationofsuchweaponsonbothsides.Formanymonths,theSovietsrefusedtobargaininearnestness.Asthealliance,inturn,preparedtogoforwardwithitscounterdeployment,thereweredifficultdays,daysofprotestslikethoseduringmy1982visittothiscity;andtheSovietslaterwalkedawayfromthetable. Butthroughitall,theallianceheldfirm.AndIinvitethosewhoprotestedthenIinvitethosewhoprotesttodaytomarkthisfact:Becauseweremainedstrong,theSovietscamebacktothetable.Becauseweremainedstrong,todaywehavewithinreachthepossibility,notmerelyoflimitingthegrowthofarms,butofeliminating,forthefirsttime,anentireclassofnuclearweaponsfromthefaceoftheearth. AsIspeak,NATOministersaremeetinginIcelandtoreviewtheprogressofourproposalsforeliminatingtheseweapons.AtthetalksinGeneva,wehavealsoproposeddeepcutsinstrategicoffensiveweapons.AndtheWesternallieshavelikewisemadefarreachingproposalstoreducethedangerofconventionalwarandtoplaceatotalbanonchemicalweapons. Whilewepursuethesearmsreductions,IpledgetoyouthatwewillmaintainthecapacitytodeterSovietaggressionatanylevelatwhichitmightoccur.Andincooperationwithmanyofourallies,theUnitedStatesispursuingtheStrategicDefenseInitiativeresearchtobasedeterrencenotonthethreatofoffensiveretaliation,butondefensesthattrulydefend;onsystems,inshort,thatwillnottargetpopulations,butshieldthem.BythesemeansweseektoincreasethesafetyofEuropeandalltheworld.Butwemustrememberacrucialfact:EastandWestdonotmistrusteachotherbecausewearearmed;wearearmedbecausewemistrusteachother.Andourdifferencesarenotaboutweaponsbutaboutliberty.WhenPresidentKennedyspokeattheCityHallthose24yearsago,freedomwasencircled;Berlinwasundersiege.Andtoday,despiteallthepressuresuponthiscity,Berlinstandssecureinitsliberty.Andfreedomitselfistransformingtheglobe. InthePhilippines,inSouthandCentralAmerica,democracyhasbeengivenarebirth.ThroughoutthePacific,freemarketsareworkingmiracleaftermiracleofeconomicgrowth.Intheindustrializednations,atechnologicalrevolutionistakingplace,arevolutionmarkedbyrapid,dramaticadvancesinputersandtelemunications. InEurope,onlyonenationandthoseitcontrolsrefusetojointhemunityoffreedom.Yetinthisageofredoubledeconomicgrowth,ofinformationandinnovation,theSovietUnionfacesachoice:Itmustmakefundamentalchanges,oritwillbeeobsolete. Todaythusrepresentsamomentofhope.WeintheWeststandreadytocooperatewiththeEasttopromotetrueopenness,tobreakdownbarriersthatseparatepeople,tocreateasafer,freerworld.AndsurelythereisnobetterplacethanBerlin,themeetingplaceofEastandWest,tomakeastart. FreepeopleofBerlin:Today,asinthepast,theUnitedStatesstandsforthestrictobservanceandfullimplementationofallpartsoftheFourPowerAgreementof1971.Letususethisoccasion,the750thanniversaryofthiscity,tousherinanewera,toseekastillfuller,richerlifefortheBerlinofthefuture.Together,letusmaintainanddevelopthetiesbetweentheFederalRepublicandtheWesternsectorsofBerlin,whichispermittedbythe1971agreement. AndIinviteMr.Gorbachev:LetusworktobringtheEasternandWesternpartsofthecityclosertogether,sothatalltheinhabitantsofallBerlincanenjoythebenefitsthatewithlifeinoneofthegreatcitiesoftheworld. ToopenBerlinstillfurthertoallEurope,EastandWest,letusexpandthevitalairaccesstothiscity,findingwaysofmakingmercialairservicetoBerlinmoreconvenient,morefortable,andmoreeconomical.WelooktothedaywhenWestBerlincanbeeoneofthechiefaviationhubsinallcentralEurope. WithwithourFrenchandBritishpartners,theUnitedStatesispreparedtohelpbringinternationalmeetingstoBerlin.ItwouldbeonlyfittingforBerlintoserveasthesiteofUnitedNationsmeetings,orworldconferencesonhumanrightsandarmscontrolorotherissuesthatcallforinternationalcooperation. Thereisnobetterwaytoestablishhopeforthefuturethantoenlightenyoungminds,andwewouldbehonoredtosponsorsummeryouthexchanges,culturalevents,andotherprogramsforyoungBerlinersfromtheEast.OurFrenchandBritishfriends,Imcertain,willdothesame.AnditsmyhopethatanauthoritycanbefoundinEastBerlintosponsorvisitsfromyoungpeopleoftheWesternsectors. Onefinalproposal,oneclosetomyheart:Sportrepresentsasourceofenjoymentandennoblement,andyoumayhavenotedthattheRepublicofKoreaSouthKoreahasofferedtopermitcertaineventsofthe1988OlympicstotakeplaceintheNorth.Internationalsportspetitionsofallkindscouldtakeplaceinbothpartsofthiscity.AndwhatbetterwaytodemonstratetotheworldtheopennessofthiscitythantoofferinsomefutureyeartoholdtheOlympicgameshereinBerlin,EastandWest. Inthesefourdecades,asIhavesaid,youBerlinershavebuiltagreatcity.YouvedonesoinspiteofthreatstheSovietattemptstoimposetheEastmark,theblockade.Todaythecitythrivesinspiteofthechallengesimplicitintheverypresenceofthiswall.Whatkeepsyouhere?Certainlytheresagreatdealtobesaidforyourfortitude,foryourdefiantcourage.ButIbelievetheressomethingdeeper,somethingthatinvolvesBerlinswholelookandfeelandwayoflifenotmeresentiment.NoonecouldlivelonginBerlinwithoutbeingpletelydisabusedofillusions.Something,instead,thathasseenthedifficultiesoflifeinBerlinbutchosetoacceptthem,thatcontinuestobuildthisgoodandproudcityincontrasttoasurroundingtotalitarianpresence,thatrefusestoreleasehumanenergiesoraspirations,somethingthatspeakswithapowerfulvoiceofaffirmation,thatsaysyestothiscity,yestothefuture,yestofreedom.Inaword,IwouldsubmitthatwhatkeepsyouinBerlinislove. Lovebothprofoundandabiding. Perhapsthisgetstotherootofthematter,tothemostfundamentaldi