拆掉这堵墙吧

residentRonaldReagon:

Thankyouverymuch.

ChancellorKohl,GoverningMayorDiepgen,ladiesandgentlemen:Twenty-fouryearsago,PresidentJohnF.KeedyvisitedBerlin,eakingtothepeopleofthiscityandtheworldattheCityHall.Well,sincethentwootherpresidentshavecome,eachinhisturn,toBerlin.AndtodayI,myself,makemysecondvisittoyourcity.WecometoBerlin,weAmericanpresidents,becauseit’sourdutytoeak,inthisplace,offreedom.ButImustconfe,we’redrawnherebyotherthingsaswell:bythefeelingofhistoryinthiscity,morethan500yearsolderthanourownnatiobythebeautyoftheGrunewaldandtheTiergartemostofall,byyourcourageanddetermination.PerhathecomposerPaulLinckeunderstoodsomethingaboutAmericanpresidents.Yousee,likesomanypresidentsbeforeme,IcomeheretodaybecausewhereverIgo,whateverIdo:IchhabnocheinenKofferinBerlin.[IstillhaveasuitcaseinBerlin.]

OurgatheringtodayisbeingbroadcastthroughoutWesternEuropeandNorthAmerica.IunderstandthatitisbeingseenandheardaswellintheEast.TothoselisteningthroughoutEasternEurope,aecialword:AlthoughIcaotbewithyou,Iaddremyremarkstoyoujustassurelyastothosestandingherebeforeme.ForIjoinyou,asIjoinyourfellowcountrymenintheWest,inthisfirm,thisunalterablebelief:EsgibtnureinBerlin.[ThereisonlyoneBerlin.]

Behindmestandsawallthatencirclesthefreesectorsofthiscity,partofavastsystemofbarriersthatdividestheentirecontinentofEurope.FromtheBaltic,south,thosebarrierscutacroGermanyinagashofbarbedwire,concrete,dogru,andguardtowers.Farthersouth,theremaybenovisible,noobviouswall.Butthereremainarmedguardsandcheckpointsallthesame--stillarestrictionontherighttotravel,stillanitrumenttoimposeuponordinarymenandwomenthewillofatotalitarianstate.YetitishereinBerlinwherethewallemergesmostclearly;here,cuttingacroyourcity,wherethenewsphotoandthetelevisionscreenhaveimprintedthisbrutaldivisionofacontinentuponthemindoftheworld.StandingbeforetheBrandeurgGate,everymanisaGerman,separatedfromhisfellowmen.EverymanisaBerliner,forcedtolookuponascar.

PresidentvonWeizsackerhassaid,"TheGermanquestionisopenaslongastheBrandeurgGateisclosed."TodayIsay:Aslongasthegateisclosed,aslongasthisscarofawallispermittedtostand,itisnottheGermanquestionalonethatremaiopen,butthequestionoffreedomforallmankind.YetIdonotcomeheretolament.ForIfindinBerlinameageofhope,evenintheshadowofthiswall,ameageoftriumph.

Inthisseasonofringin1945,thepeopleofBerlinemergedfromtheirair-raidshelterstofinddevastation.Thousandsofmilesaway,thepeopleoftheUnitedStatesreachedouttohelp.Andin1947SecretaryofState--asyou’vebeentold--GeorgeMarshallaouncedthecreationofwhatwouldbecomeknownastheMarshallPlan.eakingprecisely40yearsagothismonth,hesaid:"Ourpolicyisdirectednotagaitanycountryordoctrine,butagaithunger,poverty,deeration,andchaos."

IntheReichstagafewmomentsago,Isawadilaycommemoratingthis40thaiversaryoftheMarshallPlan.Iwasstruckbythesignonaburnt-out,guttedstructurethatwasbeingrebuilt.IunderstandthatBerlinersofmyowngenerationcanrememberseeingsiglikeitdottedthroughoutthewesternsectorsofthecity.Thesignreadsimply:"TheMarshallPlanishelpingheretostrengthenthefreeworld."Astrong,freeworldintheWest,thatdreambecamereal.Japanrosefromruintobecomeaneconomicgiant.Italy,France,Belgium--virtuallyeverynationinWesternEuropesawpoliticalandeconomicrebirth;theEuropeanCommunitywasfounded.

InWestGermanyandhereinBerlin,theretookplaceaneconomicmiracle,theWirtschaftswunder.Adenauer,Erhard,Reuter,andotherleadersunderstoodthepracticalimportanceofliberty--thatjustastruthcanflourishonlywhenthejournalistisgivenfreedomofeech,soproeritycancomeaboutonlywhenthefarmerandbusinemanenjoyeconomicfreedom.TheGermanleadersreducedtariffs,expandedfreetra de,loweredtaxes.From1950to1960alone,thestandardoflivinginWestGermanyandBerlindoubled.

Wherefourdecadesagotherewasrule,todayinWestBerlinthereisthegreatestindustrialoutputofanycityinGermany--busyofficeblocks,finehomesandapartments,proudavenues,andthereadinglawofparkland.Whereacity’scultureseemedtohavebeendestroyed,todaytherearetwogreatuniversities,orchestrasandanopera,countletheaters,andmuseums.Wheretherewaswant,todaythere’sabundance--food,clothing,automobiles--thewonderfulgoodsoftheKu’damm.Fromdevastation,fromutterruin,youBerlinershave,infreedom,rebuiltacitythatonceagainranksasoneofthegreatestonearth.TheSovietsmayhavehadotherpla.Butmyfriends,therewereafewthingstheSovietsdidn’tcounton--BerlinerHerz,BerlinerHumor,ja,undBerlinerSchnauze.[Berlinerheart,Berlinerhumor,yes,andaBerlinerSchnauze.]

Inthe1950s,Khrushchevpredicted:"Wewillburyyou."ButintheWesttoday,weseeafreeworldthathasachievedalevelofproerityandwell-beingurecedentedinallhumanhistory.IntheCommunistworld,weseefailure,technologicalbackwardne,decliningstandardsofhealth,evenwantofthemostbasickind--toolittlefood.Eventoday,theSovietUnionstillcaotfeeditself.Afterthesefourdecades,then,therestandsbeforetheentireworldonegreatandinescapableconclusion:Freedomleadstoproerity.Freedomreplacestheancienthatredsamongthenatiowithcomityandpeace.Freedomisthevictor.

AndnowtheSovietsthemselvesmay,inalimitedway,becomingtounderstandtheimportanceoffreedom.WehearmuchfromMoscowaboutanewpolicyofreformandopee.Somepoliticalprisonershavebeenreleased.Certainforeignnewsbroadcastsarenolongerbeingjammed.Someeconomicenterpriseshavebeenpermittedtooperatewithgreaterfreedomfromstatecontrol.

ArethesethebegiingsofprofoundchangesintheSovietstate?Oraretheytokengestures,intendedtoraisefalsehopesintheWest,ortostrengthentheSovietsystemwithoutchangingit?Wewelcomechangeandopeeforwebelievethatfreedomandsecuritygotogether,thattheadvanceofhumanlibertycanonlystrengthenthecauseofworldpeace.ThereisonesigntheSovietscanmakethatwouldbeunmistakable,thatwouldadvancedramaticallythecauseoffreedomandpeace.

GeneralSecretaryGorbachev,ifyouseekpeace,ifyouseekproerityfortheSovietUnionandEasternEurope,ifyouseekliberalization:Comeheretothisgate!Mr.Gorbachev,openthisgate!Mr.Gorbachev,teardownthiswall!

Iunderstandthefearofwarandthepainofdivisionthatafflictthiscontinent--andIpledgetoyoumycountry’seffortstohelpovercometheseburde.Tobesure,weintheWestmustresistSovietexpaion.Sowemustmaintaindefeesofunaailablestrength.Yetweseekpeace;sowemuststrivetoreducearmsonbothsides.

Begiing10yearsago,theSovietschallengedtheWesternalliancewithagravenewthreat,hundredsofnewandmoredeadly-20nuclearmiiles,capableofstrikingeverycapitalinEurope.TheWesternalliancereondedbycommittingitselftoacounter-deploymentunletheSovietsagreedtonegotiateabettersolutionamely,theeliminationofsuchweapoonbothsides.Formanymonths,theSovietsrefusedtobargaininearnestne.Asthealliance,inturn,preparedtogoforwardwithitscounter-deployment,thereweredifficultdays--daysofprotestslikethoseduringmy1982visittothiscity--andtheSovietslaterwalkedawayfromthetable.

Butthroughitall,theallianceheldfirm.AndIinvitethosewhoprotestedthen--Iinvitethosewhoprotesttoday--tomarkthisfact:Becauseweremainedstrong,theSovietscamebacktothetable.Andbecauseweremainedstrong,todaywehavewithinreachthepoibility,notmerelyoflimitingthegrowthofarms,butofeliminating,forthefirsttime,anentireclaofnuclearweapofromthefaceoftheearth.

AsIeak,NATOministersaremeetinginIcelandtoreviewtheprogreofourproposalsforeliminatingtheseweapo.AtthetalksinGeneva,wehavealsoproposeddeepcutsinstrategicoffeiveweapo.AndtheW esternallieshavelikewisemadefar-reachingproposalstoreducethedangerofconventionalwarandtoplaceatotalbanonchemicalweapo.

Whilewepursuethesearmsreductio,IpledgetoyouthatwewillmaintainthecapacitytodeterSovietaggreionatanylevelatwhichitmightoccur.Andincooperationwithmanyofourallies,theUnitedStatesispursuingtheStrategicDefeeInitiative--researchtobasedeterrencenotonthethreatofoffeiveretaliation,butondefeesthattrulydefend;onsystems,inshort,thatwillnottargetpopulatio,butshieldthem.BythesemeaweseektoincreasethesafetyofEuropeandalltheworld.Butwemustrememberacrucialfact:EastandWestdonotmistrusteachotherbecausewearearmed;wearearmedbecausewemistrusteachother.Andourdifferencesarenotaboutweapobutaboutliberty.WhenPresidentKeedyokeattheCityHallthose24yearsago,freedomwasencircled,Berlinwasundersiege.Andtoday,deiteallthepreuresuponthiscity,Berlinstandssecureinitsliberty.Andfreedomitselfistraformingtheglobe.

InthePhiliines,inSouthandCentralAmerica,democracyhasbeengivenarebirth.ThroughoutthePacific,freemarketsareworkingmiracleaftermiracleofeconomicgrowth.Intheindustrializednatio,atechnologicalrevolutionistakingplace--arevolutionmarkedbyrapid,dramaticadvancesincomputersandtelecommunicatio.

InEurope,onlyonenationandthoseitcontrolsrefusetojointhecommunityoffreedom.Yetinthisageofredoubledeconomicgrowth,ofinformationandiovation,theSovietUnionfacesachoice:Itmustmakefundamentalchanges,oritwillbecomeoolete.

Todaythusrepresentsamomentofhope.WeintheWeststandreadytocooperatewiththeEasttopromotetrueopee,tobreakdownbarriersthatseparatepeople,tocreateasafe,freerworld.AndsurelythereisnobetterplacethanBerlin,themeetingplaceofEastandWest,tomakeastart.FreepeopleofBerlin:Today,asinthepast,theUnitedStatesstandsforthestrictoervanceandfullimplementationofallpartsoftheFourPowerAgreementof1971.Letususethisoccasion,the750thaiversaryofthiscity,tousherinanewera,toseekastillfuller,richerlifefortheBerlinofthefuture.Together,letusmaintainanddevelopthetiesbetweentheFederalRepublicandtheWesternsectorsofBerlin,whichispermittedbythe1971agreement.

AndIinviteMr.Gorbachev:LetusworktobringtheEasternandWesternpartsofthecityclosertogether,sothatalltheinhabitantsofallBerlincanenjoythebenefitsthatcomewithlifeinoneofthegreatcitiesoftheworld.

ToopenBerlinstillfurthertoallEurope,EastandWest,letusexpandthevitalairaccetothiscity,findingwaysofmakingcommercialairservicetoBerlinmoreconvenient,morecomfortable,andmoreeconomical.WelooktothedaywhenWestBerlincanbecomeoneofthechiefaviationhuinallcentralEurope.

WithourFrenchandBritishpartners,theUnitedStatesispreparedtohelpbringinternationalmeetingstoBerlin.ItwouldbeonlyfittingforBerlintoserveasthesiteofUnitedNatiomeetings,orworldconferencesonhumanrightsandarmscontrolorotheriuesthatcallforinternationalcooperation.

Thereisnobetterwaytoestablishhopeforthefuturethantoenlightenyoungminds,andwewouldbehonoredtooorsummeryouthexchanges,culturalevents,andotherprogramsforyoungBerlinersfromtheEast.OurFrenchandBritishfriends,I’mcertain,willdothesame.Andit’smyhopethatanauthoritycanbefoundinEastBerlintooorvisitsfromyoungpeopleoftheWesternsectors.

Onefinalproposal,oneclosetomyheart:ortrepresentsasourceofenjoymentandeoblement,andyoumayhavenotedthattheRepublicofKorea--SouthKorea--hasofferedtopermitcertaineventsofthe1988OlympicstotakeplaceintheNorth.Internationalortscompetitioofallkindscouldtakeplaceinbothpartsofthiscity.AndwhatbetterwaytodemotratetotheworldtheopeeofthiscitythantoofferinsomefutureyeartoholdtheOlympicgameshereinBerlin,EastandWest?Inthesefourdecades,asIhavesaid,youBerlinershavebuiltagreatcity.You’vedonesoiniteofthreats-- theSovietattemptstoimposetheEast-mark,theblockade.Todaythecitythrivesiniteofthechallengesimplicitintheverypresenceofthiswall.Whatkeeyouhere?Certainlythere’sagreatdealtobesaidforyourfortitude,foryourdefiantcourage.ButIbelievethere’ssomethingdeeper,somethingthatinvolvesBerlin’swholelookandfeelandwayoflife--notmeresentiment.NoonecouldlivelonginBerlinwithoutbeingcompletelydisabusedofillusio.Somethingitead,thathasseenthedifficultiesoflifeinBerlinbutchosetoacceptthem,thatcontinuestobuildthisgoodandproudcityincontrasttoasurroundingtotalitarianpresencethatrefusestoreleasehumanenergiesorairatio.Somethingthateakswithapowerfulvoiceofaffirmation,thatsaysyestothiscity,yestothefuture,yestofreedom.Inaword,IwouldsubmitthatwhatkeeyouinBerlinislove--lovebothprofoundandabiding.

Perhathisgetstotherootofthematter,tothemostfundamentaldistinctionofallbetweenEastandWest.Thetotalitarianworldproducesbackwardnebecauseitdoessuchviolencetotheirit,thwartingthehumanimpulsetocreate,toenjoy,toworship.Thetotalitarianworldfindsevensymbolsofloveandofworshipanaffront.Yearsago,beforetheEastGermabeganrebuildingtheirchurches,theyerectedasecularstructure:thetelevisiontoweratAlexanderPlatz.Virtuallyeversince,theauthoritieshavebeenworkingtocorrectwhattheyviewasthetower’sonemajorflaw,treatingtheglahereatthetopwithpaintsandchemicalsofeverykind.Yeteventodaywhenthesunstrikesthathere--thatherethattowersoverallBerlin--thelightmakesthesignofthecro.ThereinBerlin,likethecityitself,symbolsoflove,symbolsofworship,caotbesureed.

AsIlookedoutamomentagofromtheReichstag,thatembodimentofGermanunity,Inoticedwordscrudelyray-painteduponthewall,perhabyayoungBerliner:"Thiswallwillfall.Beliefsbecomereality."Yes,acroEurope,thiswallwillfall.Foritcaotwithstandfaith;itcaotwithstandtruth.Thewallcaotwithstandfreedom.

AndIwouldlike,beforeIclose,tosayoneword.Ihaveread,andIhavebeenquestionedsinceI’vebeenhereaboutcertaindemotratioagaitmycoming.AndIwouldliketosayjustonething,andtothosewhodemotrateso.Iwonderiftheyhaveeveraskedthemselvesthatiftheyshouldhavethekindofgovernmenttheyaarentlyseek,noonewouldeverbeabletodowhatthey’redoingagain.

ThankyouandGodbleyouall.

Note:ThePresidentokeat2:20p.m.attheBrandeurgGate.Inhisopeningremarks,hereferredtoWestGermanChancellorHelmutKohl.Priortohisremarks,PresidentReaganmetwithWestGermanPresidentRichardvonWeizsackerandtheGoverningMayorofWestBerlinEberhardDiepgenatSchloBellevue,PresidentWeizsacker’sofficialresidenceinWestBerlin.Followingthemeeting,PresidentReaganwenttotheReichstag,whereheviewedtheBerlinWallfromtheEastBalcony.