Berlin Wall Dedication at the Military Heritage Museum

The public is invited to the Military Heritage Museum’s newest exhibit – The Berlin Wall. After almost two years in the making, utilizing three original concrete slabs from the Berlin Wall taken after the wall was taken down, this exhibit will feature the stories behind the wall and its pivotal role in the Cold War. Located across from the Huey Helicopter, the ten-foot-high wall is a full-scale replica of what an original section of the wall looked like. Unlike the more popular vertical sections of the wall often portrayed with graffiti, the Museum’s exhibit showcases panels taken from the East Germany side of the wall. Partial sections of the walls facing the East German side placed slabs horizontal and, because they were heavily guarded by East German soldiers, remained free of graffiti. November 9th is an important date as on November 9th, 1989, crowds of Germans began dismantling the Berlin Wall—a barrier that for almost 30 years had symbolized the Cold War division of Europe. The East German government built the wall to seal off East Berlin from the part of the city occupied by the three main western powers – the U.S., Great Britain, and France – and to prevent mass illegal emigration to the West. After massive demonstrations by East Germany citizens, a hastily news conference was held on November 9th, 1989, during which it was announced that effective immediately permanent emigration at any border crossing was now allowed. Crowds quickly formed at the checkpoints and, overwhelmed and grossly outnumbered, the guards opened the crossings. Soon the crowds began demolishing sections of the Wall. By October 1990, Germany was reunified, triggering the swift collapse of the other East European regimes. The Berlin Wall exhibit was an Eagle Scout project led by Life Scout Nathaniel Othon. Assisting Nathaniel as a mentor and benefactor was Carlton Hughes, Partner and VP Operations with Florida Premier Contractors. The three slabs incorporated into the wall were donated by the Freedom Pavilion - Berlin Wall Project. In addition to Florida Premier Contractors, other businesses supporting the Berlin Wall project include Nova Industrial Arts, Sunseeker Resorts, Suffolk Construction, and Keesling Construction.