Why the East German's didn't need twitter

We might think that twitter and modern technology is the tool of spreading revolution but as the Globe and Mail reports

In 1989, there was no text messaging or Twitter. But that didn't stop resistance members from quickly spreading the word

Twenty years after the Berlin Wall fell on Nov. 9, 1989, and the communist government in neighbouring Czechoslovakia joined its neighbours in giving up power six weeks later, the activists involved are struck by the fact they were able to communicate with a speed and efficiency that would be difficult today - even though they lacked the cellphones, e-mail networks, Twitter accounts and websites used nowadays by anti-government movements in places such as Iran.

How a news editor fought for East Germany

There is a very good article in the international edition of De Spiegal magazine in which a 20 something Alexander Osang crossed paths with Fritz Wengler who was temporarily at the helm of the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.

Twenty years ago East Germany was entering its last phase as a Soviet satellite and as Osnag recounts he had been sent me out to report on a torchlight procession by the communist youth group through the city center on the eve of the 40th anniversary of East Germany.

The GDR was going under, and the torchlight procession was the orchestra that continued playing as the Titanic sank.

His article did not show the failing state in the best of lights and he was forced to rewrite it but

cracks had begun appearing in the snow-globe, and the real world began flooding into our building on Alexanderplatz. Tens of thousands of people were fleeing the country, and those who stayed slowly started venturing out onto the streets.

Needless to say when the regime fell Wengler

He wasn't voted out or insulted or called to account in front of some committee. He was simply shunted off into a corner at the newspaper. He remained deputy editor-in-chief, but no-one gave him any work to do.