Due to a miscommunication, the Berlin Wall Fell (a day before it was supposed to) and Germany was united. (See the Wikipedia History.)

It’s both a reminder of how a situation can literally change over night and of how fast the world moves on. For example, a report over on euractive.com notes that while most of Germany wants to look ahead rather than reflect on their recent history that consisted of a divided Germany, 58% of the 14-29 demographic would like to find out more about the history of the communist East German state and the German division because they feel they don’t know enough about their own history.

Today’s fast paced world is moving so fast and focused so much on the future that recent history is being overlooked because the older generation, who still remembers it, feels that it’s recent enough that it does not need to be discussed. However, it is not yet making the school curriculum and being taught in enough detail to the younger generation in a manner that will allow them to understand why the older generation just wants to focus on the future and what the lessons to be learned from the past are.

But we have to remember, because if we don’t, we’ll make the same mistakes, and more importantly, we’ll forget how to deal with the situation when it rises again. For example, the Ukraine is in the process of splitting just like Germany was split after World War II, and may, or may not, reunite someday. As long as there is conflict, borders are destined to change, border crossing rules are destined to be revised, and new trade restrictions will be created while old ones removed. So we have to remember, learn, and prepare.