They were just a few words, spoken rather haltingly and yet they heralded the end of the division of Germany: "As far as I know ... it is effective immediately ... without delay," said Guenter Schabowski, a member of the East German Politburo.
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Delivered on the evening of November 9, 1989 in front of international reporters in East Berlin, Schabowski's now infamous phrase wrote history.
Not long beforehand, East German officials had redrafted a travel law stating who could come and go between communist East Berlin and West Berlin - a key frontier in the Iron Curtain, and one that was closed to most people, most of the time.
When asked about the new, more relaxed travel law, Schabowski told reporters almost casually that private visits abroad would be possible in future without special conditions.
His comrades didn't know yet: the press release was actually only planned for the next day. Pressed on when the law would take effect, an uncertain Schabowski shuffled through the papers in front of him, and responded as above - it was effective straight away.
He had unintentionally announced the opening of the borders to East Germany.
The West German media spread the news almost immediately.
At the border checkpoints in East Berlin, tumultuous scenes soon took place as friends and relatives went to cross the border.
No one knew for sure whether it was a rumour, a slip of the tongue or a valid decision, but within hours it no longer mattered.
The first crossing to open was the Bornholmer Strasse checkpoint in Berlin, followed by others. Thousands of GDR citizens flocked to the West, walking past the completely surprised soldiers.
The news also surprised West Germany's Chancellor Helmut Kohl who was in Warsaw at the time. The Bundestag closed its session, and the members of parliament began to sing the national anthem.
Australian Associated Press
