The Pan-European Picnic was the first in a series of events that dealt fatal blows to the Berlin Wall, brought it down completely a few months later and set the stage for German Reunification. Heartfelt thanks must go to the courageous leaders and border guards of Hungary and Austria who, on 19 August 1989, allowed hundreds of East Germans to cross the border from communist Hungary into democratic Austria. Tens of thousands followed their path.
Purpose of the Pan-European Picnic
On 2 May 1989, Hungary began dismantling the electrified fence along its border with Austria. Eager to renew friendships across the Iron Curtain, the organizers of the Pan-European Picnic arranged for people on both sides of the border to gather for an afternoon of music and speeches. To allow participants to cross back and forth during the event, they temporarily opened the border for a few hours. Planned mainly to show support for open borders and a reunited Europe, the picnic ended up being far more than that.
What happened at the Pan-European Picnic?
About 100 dignitaries were invited to the friendship picnic, which was held in a meadow at the dividing line between the Communist bloc and the west. To everyone’s surprise, 600-900 East Germans also showed up at the appointed time. They had been vacationing in the region. But on 9 August 1989, they had more than holidays on their minds. Rumors had been circulating that the border with Austria was porous. To the vacationing East Germans, these whisperings were analogous to an invitation to make a break for the west.
Big Dilemma for the Border Guards
Apparently tipped off by unidentified diplomats working behind the scenes, the East Germans arrived en masse at the border, catching the Hungarian guards by surprise. The sentries had no special orders. They unable to reach their superiors. The unexpected situation placed the border guards in a moral dilemma. It was their duty to stop the East Germans from crossing the border and to use force, if necessary. Allowing them to pass was a punishable dereliction of duty. A split-second decision with potentially far-reaching consequences had to be made. Since these run-away East Germans with their picnic baskets and strollers seemed to be peaceful, the guards decided to turn their backs on them. Instead, they focused on checking the Austrian picnic guests’ documents. This on-the-spot decision changed the world. Over the next few weeks, 70,000 East Germans exited East Germany through Hungary and Austria on their way to West Germany.
Who Orchestrated the Events?
Thirty years later, the question of who orchestrated the events of August 19, 1989, still remains unanswered. Many suspect behind the scenes efforts. Why did the Heads of State of Russia, Hungary and Austria chose not to interfere? Who distributed the sacks of leaflets, conveniently printed in German and Hungarian in advance of August 19? Was the West German Intelligence community involved? Whatever the case, the events surrounding the Pan-European Picnic opened the door to the Fall of the Berlin Wall three months later and to German reunification a year later.
Monument at the Pan-European Picnic site
Since 2009, a monument by Miklos Melocco commemorates the picnic site. It is named “Breakthrough” and its engraving reads, “On August 19th 1989 an enslaved people opened the gates of its prison so that another enslaved people could walk out into freedom”. http://turizmus.sopron.hu/en/info/sights/history-of-sopron/paneuropean-picnic.html
Monument by Miklos Melocco at the site of the Pan-European Picnic. It is named “Breakthrough.” The inscription reads, “On August 19th 1989 an enslaved people opened the gates of its prison so that another enslaved people could walk out into freedom.” www.walled-in-berlin.com
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Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.
