The news as it was reported
The opening of the Berlin Wall and the East German crisis, November 1989
East Germany’s entire Cabinet resigns but stays on as caretaker, after hundreds of thousands marched on Monday night and thousands more kept leaving through Czechoslovakia.
East Germany’s entire Politburo resigned today and was cut to 11 members as the Central Committee confirmed Egon Krenz and nominated Hans Modrow as premier. Thousands had marched for free elections, and the flight west went on.
East Germany said tonight its citizens may leave through every border crossing, including into West Berlin. By late evening about 1,000 had crossed at Bornholmer Strasse, while at Checkpoint Charlie East Berliners were told to wait until Friday.
East Berliners crossed into the West by the thousand through the night and all day Friday, as border guards began chipping at the Wall and the Interior Ministry promised eight new crossings.
They came, they looked, they went home: about 100,000 East Germans crossed into West Berlin on Friday and most returned, as East Germany cut new holes in the Wall and promised free elections.