On a lighter note, today also mark's the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the Berlin Wall!
A landmark achievement in architecture that stood as in inspiration to fence-builders, contractors, and Lou Dobbs, The Wall enjoyed an impressive 28 year career, unmatched by many a challenger, though Brett Favre continues to try.
As the dividing strip played a divisive role in history, perhaps it’s no surprise that its most indelible cultural contribution is that of its demise in late 1989. And while many historical figures have become forever linked with that event - including Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev - perhaps none is more tied to this touchstone moment of freedom than american-turned-european-pop-sensation, David Hasselhoff.
Yes it was Hasselhoff – armed with little more than a
microphone, Christmas-light bedazzled leather jacket, and a piano key scarf - who discovered that under the weight of his powerful voice and gyrating hips, all borders eventually crumble. As the now signature scarf - a rebellion to both fashion and facism - flowed through the winter air, so too flowed an exciting new era in German politics, as well as German-American relations (though it would not be fully realized until German import Rammstein finally achieved commercial success in the US in the late 90s).Though Hasselhoff himself seems fully aware of his place in history and his unprecedented contributions to a united Germany, he notes that he has never properly been given the credit he feels he deserves. Said Hasselhoff:
"I find it a bit sad that there is no photo of me hanging on the walls in the Berlin Museum at Check-Point Charlie… After my appearance, I hacked away at pieces of the wall that had the black, red and yellow colors of the German flag on it. I kept the big piece for myself and gave the smaller pieces to colleagues at Baywatch." http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_860540.html
Though this blog is certainly no substitute for the Berlin Museum, it seems only right that today we pay tribute to David Hasselhoff, and whichever former cast members of Baywatch he chose as stewards of freedom (I’m assuming Nicole Eggert). For were it not for his unconquerable spirit, unparalleled pipes, and lack of fear of moderate heights, who knows where disenfranchised German youth would be today…
