• Germany edition
Photo: DPA

China blocks Berlin Wall anniversary Twitter site

Published: 30 Oct 09 11:35 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20091030-22927.html

China’s government has blocked its citizens from logging onto a German website celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall because Chinese bloggers were using it to voice civil rights concerns in their own country, the site announced on Thursday.

The Berlin Twitter Wall site was blocked in China on Monday afternoon Beijing time, according to the KulturProjekte Berlin, the non-profit arts organisation running the site.

Because it uses the micro-blogging site Twitter, users in China can still post comments, but their fellow Chinese internet users cannot read them.

“When we launched it on October 20, we got a lot of worldwide attention, so naturally Chinese people have seen it as a way to voice their opinions about internet censorship in their own country,” Carsten Hein, the project co-ordinator for the site, told The Local.

The site asks users to voice their thoughts on “which walls in the rest of the world should in their opinion now fall.”

Part of the Berlin government’s official celebrations for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the site has been bombarded with comments in Chinese, Hein said.

The fall of the Berlin Wall has long been a sensitive issue in China, as it came just a few months after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, in which the Chinese army killed several hundred pro-democracy protesters.

The Local (news@thelocal.de)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

12:38 October 30, 2009 by derExDeutsche
well, its a good thing Germany doesn't block ANY content on the Internet. Now, it can focus its attention and on others.

Its like the Alcoholic that says, 'well, I don't drink as much as Hans does.'
14:32 October 30, 2009 by Psychoid
@derExDeutsche

Germany still doesn't block any content from foreign countries. They planned it, but actually the protests might have achieved something.
14:50 October 30, 2009 by danyang
yes, it's the reason, protesting is legal in German. In China they will incarcerate them, beat them, or shoot them, and announce they are dangerous for country so that of they deserve having no human rights.
17:33 October 30, 2009 by mixxim
It is so good to hear of free speech in Germany, however there might be some (Irving) who disagree.
20:18 October 30, 2009 by Psychoid
Unfortunately there is no free speech in Germany. It's "freedom of opinion" here, which is more restricted. And claiming that none of the Nazis knew about the holocaust etc. is not seen as an opinion in Germany.

But it's a stupid idea to ban free speech. Without those laws no one would give a damn about Irving. Those laws made him famous. He's simply a successful troll.
20:43 October 30, 2009 by wxman
I like the picture on the Wall as the lead to this article. Breshnev and Honicker in a passionate open-mouth kiss. Typical socialist behavior. Breshnev even has his eyes closed, oh my!
03:48 October 31, 2009 by Devtc33
Capitalist Communism. I never thought in my life the 2 words would be combined but the empire of ancient China is reborn. The worse part I understand that a country with a recent history of revolution has a reason to fear it's own populace if you are the one in power. Sooner or later that control is going to be lost and when it does I fear those consequences.
06:52 October 31, 2009 by freechoice
This country is undergoing transformation, things were not allowed in the past is slowy opening up! Peaceful assemblies to demand for workers right are under the eyes of the police. Still many of such activities were not widely reported in the media. It still controlling public opinions through the media and influencing them on the Internet. A country whose primarily infatuated with technological advances and economic development will only leads to a nation without souls.

Their painful history of being bullied by 'foreigners' and carving up of their terrorities during the Manchu dynasty and Japanese during ww2 still remained the driving force behind their motivation for development and excuse for the regime to perpetuate their power with claims of foreign interventions.
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Europe’s German agenda

As Europe continues to fumble its way through its debt crisis, can Germany’s reforms from a decade ago really serve as an example for the rest of the Continent? The Local’s Marc Young look back to see an agenda for the future. READ (9 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Bestiality brothels spur call for animal sex ban

Animal sex abuse is on the rise in Germany, with bestiality brothels being set up across the country, according to a state animal protection officer demanding stronger laws to protect mankind's furry and feathered friends. READ (19 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Hamburg sues over pricey, late concert hall

Hamburg city is suing the firm building its landmark new concert hall for going tens of millions of euros over-budget and being at least four years late. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Italian children remember people killed by the Nazis. Photo: DPA

Germany not responsible for Nazi-era crimes

The United Nations’ highest court declared Friday that modern day Germany isn’t responsible for Nazi war crimes in Italy, saying Rome breached international laws when its courts allowed compensation claims to be made. READ (19 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Cake in the face for 'Baron Cut-and-Paste'

Critics of disgraced former German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg hit him in the face with a big cake on Thursday night, while he was meeting a Pirate Party politician in a Berlin café. READ (14 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Most Germans want president to resign

Most Germans now want President Christian Wulff to resign, as the flow of allegations over his behaviour and investigations into his relationships with businesses continues to damage his credibility. READ (4 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Thousands of US troops leaving Bavaria

The US military will close bases at Bamberg and Schweinfurt in the German state of Bavaria by 2015 as part of a planned drawdown of its forces stationed in Europe. READ (11 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Judge jails wrong-way crash driver indefinitely

A 35-year-old man who deliberately drove the wrong way down a south German motorway and crashed head-on into a car, killing one person has been jailed for 12 years but may be held indefinitely under preventative detention rules. READ (7 COMMENTS) »

More Society
Highlights
Photo: DPA
OPINION »
Germany’s public transportation largely operates on the honour system, which makes fare dodging easy. You can have your say on how Germany should deal with the problem.
Photo: DPA
SOCIETY »
Macho German football legend Rudi Assauer says he has Alzheimer’s Disease, an admission one expert told The Local could help stoke discussion of an illness often considered taboo.
Photo: DPA
SOCIETY »
A 64-year-old tub of American lard has been deemed fit for human consumption by food safety authorities in the eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Photo: Yves Gabriel
LIFESTYLE »
What's on in Germany: February 2 - 8
Photo: Columbia Pictures
LIFESTYLE »
The Local's English-language movie listings for Germany
Photo: DPA
LIFESTYLE »
As Hamburg’s legendary Reeperbahn strip gentrifies, Stephen Lowman reports how the city’s “sinful mile” is changing.
Photo: DPA
SOCIETY »
The urban street slang spoken by young Germans is so distinct that one language expert is arguing for it to be recognised as a proper dialect.
Photo: Bavarian International School
SPONSORED ARTICLE
A global education - a Bavarian community
Photo ECLA
SPONSORED ARTICLE
A truly international education at the heart of Berlin



See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

1305 jobs available
783 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline

Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
English-speaking educators (native level)

Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!