Welcome back to school, Berlin BRATS !
Many thanks for your short statements that we have included to the end of this site - you are most welcome to contact us for more.
Anlässlich des Mauerfall-Jubiläums besuchten ehemalige Schüler und Lehrer der Berlin American High School (BAHS) im Rahmen eines Berlin-Aufenthaltes auch ihre frühere Schule. Am Morgen des 10. November 2014 erreichten knapp 200 Personen mit drei doppelstöckigen Reisebussen unseren Schulhof.
Nach der Präsentation der Wilma-Hymne von Herrn Schaper (englische Version) mit dem Wilma-Rudolph-Video führten Schülerinnen und Schüler der Klasse 11.3 in den bekannten gelben Taxi-Shirts unsere Besucher in kleinen Gruppen über das Schulgelände zu ausgewählten Räumen und Anlagen. Weitere Schüler vom 11. Jahrgang hielten in der Cafeteria Erfrischungen, Kaffee und Gebäck bereit.
Von der - durch unsere Schüler in der Projektwoche erstellten - Broschüre über die BAHS hielten wir eine englische Version als Souvenir bereit.
Im Anschluss daran fand eine Podiumsdiskussion unter der Leitung von Frau Flohr statt. Ausgewählte Personen der Gästegruppe und drei Mitglieder aus unserem Kollegium reflektierten ihr Verhältnis zwischen den US-Amerikanern und den Deutschen. In teilweise sehr persönlichen Stellungnahmen blickten die Teilnehmer des Podiums auf die Bedeutung der jeweils anderen Nation
in ihrer Biographie zurück – die älteste Teilnehmerin auf dem Podium hatte 1948 an der amerikanischen Schule in Berlin ihren Abschluss erworben und uns stolz ihr Diplom und die Jahrbücher von damals präsentiert.
Zum Abschluss bekamen wir noch ein Buchgeschenk mit ausgewählten „Cold War Memories“.
Die Herzlichkeit, Heiterkeit, Offenheit und Dankbarkeit unserer Gäste haben uns beeindruckt und wir freuen uns schon auf das nächste Wiedersehen mit unseren „Vorfahren“.
Wolfgang Rembs, Oberstufenkoordinator
Die Berlin BRATS sind eine große Gruppe ehemaliger LehrerInnen und SchülerInnen der BAHS (Berlin American High School), die von 1964 bis 1994 im Schulgebäude der Wilma war. Ihre Homepage erzählt mehr von ihnen: http://www.berlinbrats.org/main.htm
Berlin Brats' statements at the visit:
Fall of the Berlin Wall, November 9, 1989
I was in Atlanta when the wall came down. Could not believe it! But I was too happy as I was there when the wall was started. Saw Checkpoint Charlie with tanks facing each other. The back wire fence in between. All was very scary. Dujie Williams
At the time the wall fell, I was living and working in Munich. I watched the events unfold on the German news and was able to talk to my patients who were German about what it meant to them. I also worked with a woman who had escaped from East Germany before the wall fell and shared her emotions with her. It is also a part of who I am. Kathryn Aubrey
I was 17 years old, a senior at BAHS when the wall fell. I was on a school trip to England on Nov. 19th. We saw on TV that night that the Berlin wall fell… We completely thought it was pretend. We thought that maybe it was an English Comedy show. Wasn’t until the next day that we realized that it really did happen. Sonia (Pepoy) Haney
25 years ago I was in my first year of college. On the night of Nov. 9 , 1989 I was sitting in my dorm room watching news coverage of the wall falling. I could hardly believe it was coming down ! This was something I never thought I would see! I am so proud of my connection to Berlin. Thank you for letting us be a part of your lives. Stacey Deery Laverick B.A.H.S 1982 – 1985
I was living in Vacaville, California, when the wall came down. I immediately called my family and friends who also lived in Berlin and were incredulous together. We never thought we could see this in our lifetime. We were overwhelmed with joy, and we cried together. Berlin continues to call me back time and time again. I’ve lived in Vacaville 27 years but Berlin has my heart. ♥ Jocelyne (von Arx) von Strong 1985
My wife, Jan, and I were right here in Berlin, at our home on Königsallee, when the phone rang and the news came on saying the Wall had come down! So my wife and I ran right out to watch history unfold! Thomas and Jan Amend
I had a fall class of students in London when the Principal came over the loud speaker to announce the wall in Berlin had fallen! We all stopped our lessons and told the story of Berlin and let the students know how important the news was. I talked about my mother living in Berlin From 1946 onward. Sally Brights
The removal of the Berlin Wall; I was in Newport, when the wall came down. I watched it on TV and wanted to be here so badly to witness this historic event. I was born in Wiesbaden Germany. And lived in Germany for close to 12 years of my life, my childhood was here. I was a part of this country, and part of its history.
I am proud to be an American and just as proud of my German birth history.
Thank everyone here for everything you have done for. I honor your staff, your staff, your staff and your country. Warren Kmarr(1972-1976) Class of 1977
I went down to the wall with my wife. We were emotionally all overwhelmed. I cried with the East Berliners who crossed the border, the Wall, who thought they would never be able to cross in their lifetime. Now they were free to walk. Philip Schwall teacher from 1980-1994
I was stationed at Fort Bruggs, North Carolina, and the fall of the wall came as a complete, but wonderful, surprise. I’ve had not been keeping aware of events, and the happenings of that day were a shock, upon reflection, I was very happy for the people of Berlin, finally, the island-mentality, the sense of isolation could be ended. unknown
We were here in Berlin! We had just been to the Marine Cop Beal & went to Checkpoint Charlie to welcome East Berliners! Then to Brandenburger Gate lastly to Ku’damm where people were flooding in! Jan(Nelson), Counceler at BAHS
I lived in Berlin from 1983-1987. My dad was an air traffic controller at Tempelhof. The four years that I lived in Berlin were the best years of my life. It was an honor to learn about the German culture and I loved meeting the German people. Two years after we left Berlin, the Wall fell. I was in complete shock and extremely happy for East Berliners' freedom!!! Being here now brings me back so many memories. Thank you for allowing us to visit the old school: Berlin American High School; and thank you for sharing the story of the Wilma-Rudolph Oberschule. Always Remember: Continue to have compassion for all of mankind. Michelle C. Estes, Class of 90’
Berlin bleibt immer Berlin!
Ich wohnte als Kind mit meine Großmutter gegenüber den Botanischen Garten. 1958 – 1960 / 1964 – 1965 / 1966 – 1967 und 1972 – 1973. Ich war nie ein "Ami" oder eine Deutsche. Ich war ein Kind. Dann kam mein einziges Jahr als Studentin, hier in BAHS. Von da an wusste ich, dass America mein bin, aber auch sehr stolz an meine Deutsche Familie. Es freut mich sehr das Berlin wieder Hauptstadt ist. Die Mama ist weg. The wall is down. It is the German spirit that brought the wall down, not any politicians – only German heart and soul. Aden „Barbara“ Brown, Class 07 „7”, US Army, Class 07 „75”
And if you want to come work and visit Maryland ….. line right next to NSA! Berlin, always in our HEART
In Nov. 1989, I was in Fairbanks (AFB), Alaska, watching the “Mauerfall” in CNN. I was very surprised, but very happy. I wish I could have been here in Berlin. Larry Speer
I was serving the U.S. Army in South Korea and was very sad that I could not fly to Berlin to celebrate the unification. unknown
At the 9th of November I was a senior at Berlin Am. High School. I remember standing quite a few times at Potsdamer Platz congratulating and celebrating with East Germans that were coming over to West Berlin. It was a very memorable time with 2 countries and families coming back together. Jeffrey Waldrop, class of 1990
Il was in Stuttgart at the Patch American High School and I was delighted to see the wall fall. It was a pity we had left Berlin two years earlier, but we came back to meet excolleagues and collect pieces of the wall. How wonderful to be back here these days. John Pinschmidt, fac 1979-1986
I went to the wall with my children. Phillipp Schmoll Teacher 1980-1994
Being in Berlin was a pleasure, but also a mission. Berlin was a western bastion against communism. The fall of Berlin Wall meant the cold war was essentially over and the west won. unknown
