A little discussion on whether the Berlin Wall was "breached based on an erroneous declaration.". Short answer: sort of--but the official who made the critical announcement wasn't a lower-level bureaucrat, but he #2 guy in charge of the business.
There are lots of interesting details at the link. (I don't put a lot of trust in the "German Punk movement" answer, though.) I'd heard almost none of this before.
I think it likely that punk bands were the sort of boundary-pushing, perhaps brave, and certainly focused on international trends that moved the culture slowly. Large gatherings can provide sparks for changes, also. But I agree that it is an oversell to credit them with bringing down the wall. There were too many forces, inside and out, for anyone to take credit.
ReplyDeleteThe order of the German official was the proximate cause. Lots of people in line after that.