German Unity Day / October 3 / Holiday

I grew up with a divided Germany; for me, the GDR was basically “abroad,” just like Belgium or Spain. But since our extended family was also divided across generations—including our grandparents’ generation—I naturally noticed that packages were sent and visits were more than complicated and, as a result, rare.
In that sense, the fall of the Berlin Wall was truly moving—freedom is a priceless gift. That’s why it certainly deserves to be honored with a public holiday. We all know that’s not the end of the story, and there’s certainly room for improvement in some areas, but when I look at current global politics, we—not just as Germans, but as Europeans—are facing entirely different problems right now.