Berlin Speech Analysis

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan visited the Brandenburg Gate in Germany’s capital of Berlin. In 1987, Berlin was celebrating its 750th anniversary and was host to the most dramatic symbol of the cold war, the Berlin Wall. After World War II, the Allies divided Germany among the victors, the western half under democratic control and the eastern half under communist control. Berlin too was divided just as Germany into east and west sectors and the Soviet Union erected a physical barrier in 1961 in order to quell the rampant migration of defectors to the democratic West. From the 1940’s to the 1980’s the United States and the Soviet Union had been staunch political adversaries embraced in a contest for democracy and communism (History.com Staff, 2009).

Reagan directed his opening statement towards the people of West Berlin and employed the use of German phrases to identify with his audience. In one statement, Reagan playfully said, “You see, like so many presidents before me, I come here today because wherever I go, whatever I do: Ich hab noch einen Koffer in Berlin. [I still have a suitcase in Berlin.]” (Robinson & Reagan, President Ronald Reagan Speech at the Brandenburg Gate West Berlin, Germany 14:20, June 12, 1987) This line brought cheers and laughter as Reagan used humor to great extent in his communication (Cannon, 2004). Reagan also understood that his address could be heard in the eastern sector of Germany and as well as by those whom opposed his views. He again used German to articulate his message stating “For I join you, as I join your fellow countrymen in the West, in this firm, this unalterable belief: Es gibt nur ein Berlin. [There is only one Berlin.]”, directed to those in East Germany (Robinson & Reagan, President Ronald Reagan Speech at the Brandenburg Gate West Berlin, Germany 14:20, June 12,