From the turning point of history "European Picnic Plan" August 20, 30: 6:55

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At the end of the East-West Cold War era, the former East Germans escaped westward together in the Hungarian border area, and the ceremony was held locally for 30 years since the collapse of the Berlin Wall. I was broken.

The “European Picnic Project” was held on August 19, 1989, when the gathering was held near the border between Hungary and Austria, which was the eastern side. More than 600 people escaped to the west, known as a turning point in history leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

On the 19th, 30 years after the decision, the ceremony was held in Sopron, Western Hungary, where Hungarian Prime Minister Orban and German Prime Minister Merkel attended.

Among them, Prime Minister Merkel from the former East Germany said, "We Germans are grateful for Hungary's cooperation in overcoming the division of Europe."

Participants in the plan “Dangerous betting and no other means”

On the other hand, a man from the former East Germany who had escaped to the west side by participating in a picnic project visited a museum near the border with his family.

Walter Sobel from the former East Germany who escaped from Sopron to the west side with his two-year-old daughters at the time said, “I became very emotional, and I remembered that time and I couldn't stop my tears. It was a great bet, but there was no other way, thank you for being here for thirty years after that. "

In addition, a Hungarian woman who lived nearby said, “Hungary during the Cold War was locked up in prison, and was restricted from moving. I am very happy now.”

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old woman living in Hungary said, “I visited with my mother because I was interested. I am proud that this happened in Hungary.” `` We should help these people, not build a wall, '' in response to strengthening measures against migrants and refugees from Syria, such as installing fences at the border I was talking.

Events that affected the end of the Cold War and European integration

The "European Picnic Plan" is a plan to let people who seek democratization in Hungary at the end of the Cold War and those of the former East Germany secretly conceived by the central government of that time escape to the west.

At the end of the Cold War, General Secretary Gorbachev proceeded with political reform and perestroika, while in Hungary, which was a socialist country, democratization was promoted early in the eastern countries under the reformist Prime Minister Nemet, 1989 In May, the removal of the barbed wire along the Austrian border began.

Under these circumstances, the “Picnic Project” was promoted and was executed on August 19, 1989.

The stage was near the border of Sopron, a summer resort in western Hungary, where participants had a picnic to discuss future European integration.

At 3:00 pm on August 19 in the middle of the picnic, the border gate near the venue was temporarily opened, and over 600 people from the former East Germany who secretly knew the plan escaped to the Austrian side at once. .

The Hungarian border guard did not know the circumstances, but tolerated the escape without firing.

On this occasion, the Hungarian government officially opened the border on September 11, the following month, and the “iron curtain” that divided Europe into east and west virtually disappeared, and more than two months later in 1989 On November 9, the “Berlin Wall”, a symbol of the east-west division, collapsed.

The European Picnic Project is recognized as a historical event that has influenced the end of the Cold War and the subsequent flow towards European integration.