In honor of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, this week will be dedicated to my favorite city, Berlin. On the night of November 9, 1989, German Democratic Republic spokesman Gunter Schabowski announced at a televised press conference that travel restrictions from East to West Berlin were going to be lifted, effective immediately. On hearing the news, thousands of East Germans began making their way through border checkpoints around the city, resulting in one of the most historic, emotionally charged events of the twentieth century. Get a glimpse into what it was like that night, by browsing Berliner Zeitung’s vast gallery of images, and watching NBC’s live coverage, reported by an amazing looking Tom Brokow.

Little known fact: Nicolas Sarkozy, who was just 34 at the time, was there, chiseling away at the wall with his comrades. According to the BBC, the French president posted a photo on his Facebook page.

{Image courtesy of Berliner Zeitung}