In the city’s melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden while the walls were tightening . . .
And we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.
On this Independence Day weekend, the above video appears to offer an appropriate blend of political poignancy and human celebration of a need for freedom: Bruce Springsteen sings Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” at a concert in East Berlin during July of 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall crumbled twenty years ago in November of 1989.
As the camera pans a crowd of nearly 200,000 East Berlin citizens dancing, clapping, and chanting along with this iconic American song, one can feel the energy and desire for freedom that soon would translate into news clips of individuals sitting atop the Berlin Wall with chisels, dismantling the symbol of Communism and the Iron Curtain that stood for decades, where the years of Cold War global conflict had been framed by John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan making famous statements declaring their allegiance with the people of Berlin.
Indeed, the images of young folks opening the barrier between East and West piece by piece remain among the most exciting ever witnessed on television, as their courageous acts indicated a close to the Cold War was at hand. Today, my son possesses a piece of the Berlin Wall, which continues to exist as a concrete reminder of the value of freedom. Obviously, at the time those audience members could not know how near they were to liberation; however, as one looks back with the knowledge of subsequent events, the concert footage seems even more moving, even more suitable for watching on Independence Day.
As the camera pans a crowd of nearly 200,000 East Berlin citizens dancing, clapping, and chanting along with this iconic American song, one can feel the energy and desire for freedom that soon would translate into news clips of individuals sitting atop the Berlin Wall with chisels, dismantling the symbol of Communism and the Iron Curtain that stood for decades, where the years of Cold War global conflict had been framed by John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan making famous statements declaring their allegiance with the people of Berlin.
Indeed, the images of young folks opening the barrier between East and West piece by piece remain among the most exciting ever witnessed on television, as their courageous acts indicated a close to the Cold War was at hand. Today, my son possesses a piece of the Berlin Wall, which continues to exist as a concrete reminder of the value of freedom. Obviously, at the time those audience members could not know how near they were to liberation; however, as one looks back with the knowledge of subsequent events, the concert footage seems even more moving, even more suitable for watching on Independence Day.
1 comment:
A great selection of one of America's modern day poets singing the words of another American modern day poet. The pupil pays homage to the master with a great rendition of a passive, yet powerful song of patriotism. I'm not sure if there is a better combination than that of the imagery of Dylan and the passion of Springsteen.
John - New Jersey
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