Happy 20 years of German reunification!

To everybody in Germany, happy 20 years of reunification! Secretary Clinton congratulates the people of Germany and says, "Today, Germany is a global champion for human liberty and economic freedom — values that form the foundation for the enduring friendship between our nations." She made the remark in a statement issued Oct. 1, two days ...

Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

To everybody in Germany, happy 20 years of reunification! Secretary Clinton congratulates the people of Germany and says, "Today, Germany is a global champion for human liberty and economic freedom -- values that form the foundation for the enduring friendship between our nations."

To everybody in Germany, happy 20 years of reunification! Secretary Clinton congratulates the people of Germany and says, "Today, Germany is a global champion for human liberty and economic freedom — values that form the foundation for the enduring friendship between our nations."

She made the remark in a statement issued Oct. 1, two days before today’s Oct. 3 anniversary:

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Germany as you celebrate the 20th anniversary of German unification.

A year ago, I travelled to Berlin to commemorate the moment in 1989 when history pierced concrete and concertina wire, and Germans tore down the Berlin Wall. It was an hour when the hopes and prayers and sacrifices of millions came together in an unwavering exclamation of freedom. On October 3, 1990, the German people embraced that freedom again. They proclaimed their desire to live as one nation. And they began building a new Germany that would become an anchor of democracy, stability, and prosperity. The progress of the last two decades was not inevitable, and it stands as a monument to the all those who worked for generations to realize the goal of a Germany whole and free.

Today, Germany is a global champion for human liberty and economic freedom – values that form the foundation for the enduring friendship between our nations. The United States joins Germany in honoring this day of national unity. And I look forward to our continuing cooperation to advance the values we celebrate on this anniversary.

In the photo above from Berlin, the Reichstag, the meeting place of Germany’s parliament, is illuminated in the colors of the German flag on Oct. 3 as part of celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of reunification.

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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