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Sarkozy posts Berlin Wall photo | Sarkozy posts Berlin Wall photo |
(1 day later) | |
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has posted on Facebook a picture of himself at the Berlin Wall, saying he had chipped away at it with a pickaxe. | French President Nicolas Sarkozy has posted on Facebook a picture of himself at the Berlin Wall, saying he had chipped away at it with a pickaxe. |
Mr Sarkozy joined world leaders in Berlin to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall on 9 November. | |
The image shows Mr Sarkozy, then a 34-year-old French MP, standing before a graffiti-covered section of the wall. | The image shows Mr Sarkozy, then a 34-year-old French MP, standing before a graffiti-covered section of the wall. |
A caption dates the photo "9 November 1989", but the man who took it said it was definitely from the following day. | |
"I was the photographer and that picture was definitely taken on 10 November 1989," Paul Clave - who was at the time a representative for French interests in Berlin - told the BBC. | |
'Enthusiastic crowd' | 'Enthusiastic crowd' |
In the caption, the French president says he arrived in West Berlin with a group of French politicians on the morning of 9 November, crossed Checkpoint Charlie to the East, and headed for the Brandenburg gates. | In the caption, the French president says he arrived in West Berlin with a group of French politicians on the morning of 9 November, crossed Checkpoint Charlie to the East, and headed for the Brandenburg gates. |
Paul Clave said he definitely took the photo on 10 November | |
"An enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome the looming opening of the Wall," he writes under the picture, posted on Sunday. | "An enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome the looming opening of the Wall," he writes under the picture, posted on Sunday. |
"We then headed for Checkpoint Charlie to see the eastern side of the city and finally confront this wall and I was able to take a pickaxe to it," he writes. | "We then headed for Checkpoint Charlie to see the eastern side of the city and finally confront this wall and I was able to take a pickaxe to it," he writes. |
"The night continued in a climate of general enthusiasm: the German people were reunited, heralding the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a period of great freedom in Europe," he says in comments translated from French. | "The night continued in a climate of general enthusiasm: the German people were reunited, heralding the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a period of great freedom in Europe," he says in comments translated from French. |
"It is this freedom that we are still defending in Europe and that we are celebrating 20 years on," writes Mr Sarkozy. | "It is this freedom that we are still defending in Europe and that we are celebrating 20 years on," writes Mr Sarkozy. |
However, French commentators point to a possible mix-up of the dates. | However, French commentators point to a possible mix-up of the dates. |
They say news of the collapse did not come until late in the day on 9 November, and West Berliners did not begin attacking the Wall until the following day. | They say news of the collapse did not come until late in the day on 9 November, and West Berliners did not begin attacking the Wall until the following day. |
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