Don't Panic
Who: Ludwig and Gilbert
When: November 9th, 1989
Where: Berlin, The Wall
What: Every nickname has a story behind it; the fall of oppression, a lost brother and the desperate search to find him.
If you were to ask Gilbert how old he was, he would proudly tell you that he is exactly five-years-old and in January, he will be turning six-years-old. Once you have the boy talking, he will tell you everything about himself because at five-years-old, there is only yourself.
He would tell you about how he has just found a large palace near his parents' house and frequently visits it to meet a very nice-old-man there and will tell you one day how he will live in that palace and become a King of Prussia. He will tell you how he is in-fact Prussian (even though at this point he isn't really quite sure what Prussia is; but he is sure that he does want to go there one day) and how he's awesome. He will tell you about how he's learning to ride a bike, is going to start school next year and is going to be the best student there ever was ever.
And you can't help but smile at the boy because a part of you believes him.
Once he's finished this, Gilbert will tell you the next most important part of his life besides himself. Because there is something for Gilbert. He will tell you about his brother. He would tell you about Ludwig's blond hair and how he's also five-years-old but a lamer five-year-old since Gilbert's still older than him. He will tell you about how it's his job to watch over Gilbert because his Mutter said so before she had to go away. And then he'll wish his Mutter would come back soon so she can see how much of a good job Gilbert's been doing about taking care of his little brother.
Except for tonight. Because on this old night on November 9th in the year 1989, things much larger than Gilbert are happening. A Wall is coming down. People are meeting, melding and being one. There is finally no West German and no East Germany. Only a unified country and this is a celebration that will live on. Families, friends even strangers embrace and hold each other. The Wall falls and Germany is whole.
But Gilbert doesn't care. His brother is missing and it's his fault. He'd just taken him on a walk because Ludwig was always safe with Gilbert so it didn't matter that the American tanks were moving and the Russia soldiers were running along the east side of the wall because Gilbert was there. But their hands had let go for one moment in the midst of a crowd.
And Ludwig was gone, people were screaming joy and running and Gilbert was buffeted from all sides and he saw his brother disappear with the surging crowd. Without thinking, without knowing where he was going, without thinking, Gilbert chased after his brother and the pair fell passed a crumbling Wall and into what would become former German Democratic Republic.
He chases his brother into the East.
When: November 9th, 1989
Where: Berlin, The Wall
What: Every nickname has a story behind it; the fall of oppression, a lost brother and the desperate search to find him.
If you were to ask Gilbert how old he was, he would proudly tell you that he is exactly five-years-old and in January, he will be turning six-years-old. Once you have the boy talking, he will tell you everything about himself because at five-years-old, there is only yourself.
He would tell you about how he has just found a large palace near his parents' house and frequently visits it to meet a very nice-old-man there and will tell you one day how he will live in that palace and become a King of Prussia. He will tell you how he is in-fact Prussian (even though at this point he isn't really quite sure what Prussia is; but he is sure that he does want to go there one day) and how he's awesome. He will tell you about how he's learning to ride a bike, is going to start school next year and is going to be the best student there ever was ever.
And you can't help but smile at the boy because a part of you believes him.
Once he's finished this, Gilbert will tell you the next most important part of his life besides himself. Because there is something for Gilbert. He will tell you about his brother. He would tell you about Ludwig's blond hair and how he's also five-years-old but a lamer five-year-old since Gilbert's still older than him. He will tell you about how it's his job to watch over Gilbert because his Mutter said so before she had to go away. And then he'll wish his Mutter would come back soon so she can see how much of a good job Gilbert's been doing about taking care of his little brother.
Except for tonight. Because on this old night on November 9th in the year 1989, things much larger than Gilbert are happening. A Wall is coming down. People are meeting, melding and being one. There is finally no West German and no East Germany. Only a unified country and this is a celebration that will live on. Families, friends even strangers embrace and hold each other. The Wall falls and Germany is whole.
But Gilbert doesn't care. His brother is missing and it's his fault. He'd just taken him on a walk because Ludwig was always safe with Gilbert so it didn't matter that the American tanks were moving and the Russia soldiers were running along the east side of the wall because Gilbert was there. But their hands had let go for one moment in the midst of a crowd.
And Ludwig was gone, people were screaming joy and running and Gilbert was buffeted from all sides and he saw his brother disappear with the surging crowd. Without thinking, without knowing where he was going, without thinking, Gilbert chased after his brother and the pair fell passed a crumbling Wall and into what would become former German Democratic Republic.
He chases his brother into the East.