To commemorate the 30th anniversary of such momentous events as the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and unity restored to Germany, the Deutsches Haus will host a reception on Oct. 24. 

In preparation for the reception, the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in New Orleans and the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic in New Orleans have partnered with the Wunderbar Together Initiative–a cross-cultural initiative funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and created to nurture American and German relations–and the Deutsches Haus.

Recently, the Deutsches Haus, a local German cultural center, finished the third and final weekend of its 2019 Oktoberfest celebration, which marked the first year for the Deutsches Haus Oktoberfest in the completed Bayou St. John location.

As part of the Oct. 24 reception, speakers from both sides of the Berlin Wall will speak about their experiences of living in a partitioned Germany. One of the featured speakers was a teenager in West Berlin who travelled on a school trip to recover pieces of the wall. Another speaker operated as a protestor in the East, living in constant fear of the state. A third speaker worked as a first responder, providing shelter to refugees from the East.

The event starts at 5 p.m. with poster exhibits that explore Germany in 1989 and events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall. At 5:30 p.m., there will be a documentary viewing. At 6 p.m., there will be a panel discussion featuring the Honorary Consul of Austria in New Orleans and several people who experienced the events in East Germany, West Germany and Czechoslovakia. A Q&A will be held at 6:45 p.m. Finally, the night will come to an end with a 7:30 p.m. performance by German a cappella pop duo Eddi Hüneke and Tobi Hebbelmann. 

The Deutsches Haus is located at 1700 Moss St. Admission to the event is free with complimentary appetizers. There will be a cash bar and German food for sale. For more information about the event, visit the Deutsches Haus website, here.