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Riccardo Ehrmann 2014 in Madrid: "I got out immediately and sent a telex to my headquarters in Rome:" The wall is gone ""
Photo:
Angel Navarrete / dpa
The Italian journalist Riccardo Ehrman, who became famous for his historical question to the GDR politician Günter Schabowski in 1989, is dead. He died at the age of 92 in the Spanish capital Madrid, reported the Italian news agency Ansa on Tuesday evening, citing his Mrs.
Ehrman was the Berlin correspondent for Ansa at the time.
At the press conference of the Central Committee of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) on November 9, 1989, Ehrman Schabowski asked a question about the planned travel law: “My name is Riccardo Ehrman, I represent the Italian news agency Ansa.
Mr. Schabowski, you mentioned mistakes.
Don't you think that it was a big mistake to introduce this draft travel law that you presented a few days ago? "
The member of the SED Politburo first gave reasons for the decision.
Journalists then asked what led Schabowski to his memorable answer: »Private trips abroad can be requested without the existence of any prerequisites - reasons for travel and family relationships.
The permits are granted at short notice. "This applies" immediately ... immediately ".
Read more about the historic press conference here.
Ehrman said he understood immediately what had happened.
"I got out immediately and sent a telex to my headquarters in Rome: 'The wall is gone," "he said on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall in 2014.
After the press conference, many people flocked to the border crossings in East Berlin.
The evening went down in the history books.
After his retirement Ehrman lived in Madrid.
ngo / dpa
