Word: italian
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Twenty years ago, a question posed by Italian journalist Riccardo Ehrmann prompted an East German official to say the words that triggered the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now new facts have emerged that shed a different light on that fateful press conference...
...press conference hosted by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) on Nov. 9, 1989, was about to come to an end when Ehrmann, who worked for the Italian news agency ANSA, inquired about the new travel law for East German citizens. Gunter Schabowski, a ruling party official, replied by announcing the introduction of new regulations that would make it possible for the people of the GDR to travel abroad. When will this take effect?" a voice from the auditorium demanded. Schabowski, after taking a quick look onto his notes through his frameless glasses, haltingly replied: "That...
...Hertle from the Potsdam-based Center for Research on Contemporary History tells TIME that he had "already wondered about that 15 years ago." Hertle cites the fact that an American reporter present at the press conference, when attempting to speak, was cut short by Schabowski, who then allowed the Italian journalist to ask his question first, as an indication that Ehrmann's question had been prompted by the party. But neither Ehrmann, Potschke nor Schabowski confirmed Hertle's suspicion back then...
Sarkozy also suggested that Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi's multiple elections wins is proof of his greatness. "What is important in democracy is to be re-elected," Libération cited Sarkozy as saying, a phrase unlikely to join "fraternité, égalité et liberté" as a description of French democratic ideals...
...carmaker's management is struggling to assemble a rescue package that in addition to any UAW givebacks will have to include closing more plants and getting big help from Italian carmaker Fiat, which would contribute its own small-car designs and technology. Failure would saddle major banks with $7 billion in new losses, leave Chrysler's former owner, Daimler AG on the hook for more than $1 billion in additional pension costs and wipe out the health care for thousands of Chrysler retirees...