Banner from the demonstration on the Berlin Alexanderplatz on 4 November 1989

Whether 200,000 or half a million people took part in the largest authorized and non-state organized demonstration in the GDR on November 4, 1989, is controversial. However, this does not affect the historical significance of the event itself. This demonstration for freedom of opinion and freedom of the press was planned and registered by artists and with the banners and slogans that could be seen that day it clearly underlined that the GDR in its previous form could no longer be saved. The political and social revolt of the citizens could no longer be contained. Five days later the pressure of the citizens grew so strongly that the inner-German border had to be opened and could not be closed again afterwards.