Click on the link here for Audio Player – CBS World News Roundup – November 4, 1989 – Gordon Skene Sound Collection
All this week, we’re looking back on the momentous events which took place in Germany during November 1989; day by day, 25 years ago.
On November 4th 1989 the grumblings began to roar and the ripple became a Tsunami of people as hundreds of thousands in East Berlin took to the streets, pressing their demands for political freedom. It was the largest demonstration in East German history. As a sign of the rapidly changing climate, the rally was carried live on East German television. In just one of the surprising events at the demonstration, the head of the Stasi, the dreaded East-German Secret Police addressed the crowd and told them he applauded and encouraged their move for political freedom and supported the demonstration. The Police and demonstrators worked together and there were no violent incidents or outbursts. The times, they were rapidly changing.
Meanwhile, East German refugees in Prague were boarding trains heading for West Germany, reportedly tossing East German currency on to the platforms in a blizzard of useless cash as the trains pulled out amid cheers and flashing Peace signs.
For all practical purposes, the Berlin Wall ceased to exist.
Meanwhile, the rest of the earth continued spinning, or in the case on this day – shaking. Another Earthquake in California sent people diving for cover. This one was centered near San Leandro, just south of Oakland and not that far away from the scene of the Loma Prieta Earthquake just a month earlier in the Bay Area. However, it was determined this was a new one, and not an aftershock of the old one. Earthquake Country – gotta love it.
Weather also factored in on this day in 1989. Typhoon Gay, or the Kavali Cyclone of 1989, swept through the Gulf of Thailand capsizing at least 8 ships and leaving some 300 sailors missing, including 97 from a U.S. owned ship, the Seacrest operated by a Thai Subsidiary of Unical.
The subject of Legalized Casino Gambling was on everyone’s minds in Gary, Indiana as voters went to the polls to vote on a measure designed to help the city’s financial situation.
Philippines President Corazon Acquino arrived in Vancouver on her first stop of a North American tour. It was her first trip out of the country and the military was on full alert in case anyone tried to pull anything untoward while she was gone.
And some 5 1/2 tons of Cocaine were seized in New York at a building in Queens. The cocaine was wrapped in paper and stored inside barrels concealed beneath a delivery of hazardous waste. No arrests. Lots of questions.
And that’s a small portion of what was going on this fast-moving news day on November 4th in 1989, as reported by the CBS World News Roundup.
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