With_IW Wall_NN1 Just_RR a_AT1 Memory_NN1 ,_, German_JJ Divisions_NN2 Fade_VV0 "_" The_AT Quiz_NN1 of_IO the_AT Germans_NN2 ,_, "_" a_AT1 lighthearted_JJ entry_NN1 amid_II a_AT1 crush_NN1 of_IO serious_JJ examinations_NN2 of_IO the_AT 20th_MD anniversary_NN1 of_IO the_AT fall_NN1 of_IO the_AT Berlin_NP1 Wall_NN1 ,_, pitted_VVD three_MC West_NP1 German_JJ celebrities_NN2 seated_VVN behind_II the_AT sloping_JJ hood_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 old_JJ Volkswagen_NP1 Beetle_NN1 against_II counterparts_NN2 from_II the_AT East_ND1 perched_VVN above_II the_AT front_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 clunky_JJ Trabant_NP1 ._. 
On_II a_AT1 television_NN1 stage_NN1 emblazoned_VVN with_IW an_AT1 oversize_JJ map_NN1 of_IO unified_JJ Germany_NP1 ,_, the_AT questions_NN2 about_II the_AT divided_JJ old_JJ days_NNT2 were_VBDR as_RG symmetrical_JJ as_CSA the_AT antique_JJ cars_NN2 ._. 
The_AT topics_NN2 --_JJ nude_JJ beachgoers_NN2 in_II the_AT East_ND1 and_CC sex_NN1 education_NN1 in_II the_AT West_ND1 ,_, vacation_NN1 destinations_NN2 or_CC the_AT funny_JJ dialects_NN2 on_II either_DD1 side_NN1 --_NN1 struck_VVD a_AT1 note_NN1 of_IO shared_JJ Germanness_NN1 that_CST endured_VVD even_RR at_II the_AT peak_NN1 of_IO the_AT cold_JJ war_NN1 ._. 
The_AT anniversary_NN1 on_II Monday_NPD1 has_VHZ prompted_VVN a_AT1 powerful_JJ national_JJ conversation_NN1 ,_, not_XX just_RR21 about_RR22 a_AT1 moment_NN1 two_MC decades_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, but_CCB about_II Germany_NP1 today_RT ._. 
It_PPH1 is_VBZ more_RGR united_JJ and_CC less_RGR turbulent_JJ than_CSN many_DA2 here_RL or_CC abroad_RL expected_VVN and_CC ,_, given_VVN its_APPGE 20th_MD century_NNT1 history_NN1 ,_, than_CSN many_DA2 thought_VVD it_PPH1 deserved_VVD to_TO be_VBI ._. 
Especially_RR among_II the_AT young_JJ ,_, there_EX is_VBZ the_AT sense_NN1 that_CST the_AT aspiration_NN1 to_TO transcend_VVI Germany_NP1 's_GE dark_JJ history_NN1 and_CC simply_RR become_VV0 normal_JJ may_VM finally_RR be_VBI within_II reach_NN1 ._. 
The_AT latest_JJT round_NN1 of_IO news_NN1 media_NN accounts_NN2 on_II the_AT tumultuous_JJ final_JJ hours_NNT2 of_IO the_AT wall_NN1 have_VH0 emphasized_VVN not_XX some_DD sense_NN1 of_IO historical_JJ inevitability_NN1 driven_VVN by_II economics_NN1 and_CC geopolitics_NN2 ,_, but_CCB rather_RR the_AT capricious_JJ human_JJ side_NN1 of_IO the_AT event_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 is_VBZ reflected_VVN in_II last_MD week_NNT1 's_GE cover_NN1 story_NN1 in_II the_AT magazine_NN1 Der_NP1 Spiegel_NP1 ,_, which_DDQ meticulously_RR reconstructed_VVN ,_, hour_NNT1 by_II hour_NNT1 ,_, the_AT events_NN2 of_IO the_AT day_NNT1 that_CST built_VVD up_II21 to_II22 the_AT wall_NN1 's_GE unexpected_JJ opening_NN1 ,_, titled_VVN "_" The_AT Error_NN1 That_CST Led_VVD to_II Unity_NN1 ._. "_" 
Bureaucratic_JJ confusion_NN1 over_II new_JJ travel_NN1 regulations_NN2 led_VVD crowds_NN2 of_IO East_NP1 Berliners_NN1 to_TO gather_VVI at_II border_NN1 checkpoints_VVZ on_II Nov._NPM1 9_MC ,_, 1989_MC ,_, prompting_VVG guards_NN2 to_TO open_VVI the_AT gates_NN2 ,_, bringing_VVG a_AT1 sudden_JJ end_NN1 to_II the_AT division_NN1 of_IO the_AT city_NN1 with_IW a_AT1 night_NNT1 of_IO spontaneous_JJ celebration_NN1 and_CC reunion_NN1 ._. 
In_II recent_JJ weeks_NNT2 polls_NN2 have_VH0 been_VBN released_VVN on_II the_AT differences_NN2 ,_, and_CC as_RG often_RR as_CSA not_XX the_AT similarities_NN2 ,_, between_II the_AT former_DA East_ND1 and_CC the_AT former_DA West_ND1 in_II matters_NN2 of_IO love_NN1 and_CC real_JJ estate_NN1 ,_, table_NN1 manners_NN2 and_CC car_NN1 ownership_NN1 ._. 
In_II ways_NN2 both_RR typically_RR serious_JJ and_CC atypically_RR jocular_JJ ,_, Germans_NN2 seem_VV0 to_TO be_VBI groping_VVG for_IF an_AT1 understanding_NN1 of_IO what_DDQ happened_VVD and_CC what_DDQ ,_, along_II the_AT way_NN1 ,_, they_PPHS2 have_VH0 become_VVN ._. 
Beneath_II the_AT trivial_JJ differences_NN2 lies_VVZ a_AT1 country_NN1 more_RRR unified_VVN than_CSN anyone_PN1 expected_VVD ._. 
That_DD1 is_VBZ not_XX to_TO say_VVI that_CST there_EX are_VBR not_XX still_RR some_DD hard_JJ feelings_NN2 ,_, and_CC particularly_RR among_II those_DD2 from_II the_AT East_ND1 ,_, known_VVN officially_RR as_CSA the_AT German_NP1 Democratic_NP1 Republic_NP1 ._. 
Despite_II great_JJ strides_NN2 and_CC an_AT1 estimated_JJ $2_NNU trillion_NNO in_II assistance_NN1 since_II 1989_MC ,_, many_DA2 there_RL have_VH0 not_XX quite_RR caught_VVN up_II21 to_II22 the_AT West_ND1 materially_RR and_CC saw_VVD their_APPGE everyday_JJ way_NN1 of_IO life_NN1 disappear_VV0 along_II21 with_II22 the_AT wall_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT things_NN2 from_II the_AT G.D.R_NP1 ._. 
are_VBR no_RR21 longer_RR22 around_RP ,_, and_CC have_VH0 to_TO be_VBI hauled_VVN out_II21 of_II22 museum_NN1 cabinets_NN2 ,_, whereas_CS in_II the_AT West_ND1 they_PPHS2 do_VD0 n't_XX have_VHI to_TO remember_VVI because_CS those_DD2 things_NN2 are_VBR still_RR there_RL ,_, "_" said_VVD Jana_NP1 Hensel_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 writer_NN1 who_PNQS grew_VVD up_RP in_II the_AT eastern_JJ city_NN1 of_IO Leipzig_NP1 ,_, when_CS asked_VVN about_II the_AT quiz_NN1 show_NN1 ._. 
"_" For_IF East_NP1 Germans_NN2 it_PPH1 is_VBZ still_RR painful_JJ to_TO have_VHI to_TO remember_VVI the_AT things_NN2 they_PPHS2 have_VH0 lost_VVN ,_, "_" she_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
But_CCB the_AT fading_JJ divisions_NN2 between_II the_AT sides_NN2 are_VBR most_RGT apparent_JJ among_II those_DD2 with_IW no_AT memories_NN2 of_IO the_AT wall_NN1 or_CC the_AT G.D.R._NP1 ,_, the_AT generation_NN1 born_VVN after_II 1989_MC ._. 
"_" For_IF people_NN from_II our_APPGE generation_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 's_VBZ just_RR a_AT1 part_NN1 of_IO German_JJ history_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Sebastian_NP1 Melchior_NP1 ,_, 19_MC ,_, a_AT1 student_NN1 at_II the_AT Alexander_NP1 von_NP1 Humboldt_NP1 High_JJ School_NN1 here_RL in_II the_AT district_NN1 of_IO Koepenick_NN1 in_II the_AT former_DA East_ND1 ._. 
"_" For_IF us_PPIO2 this_DD1 division_NN1 does_VDZ n't_XX really_RR exist_VVI anymore_RR ._. "_" 
In_II this_DD1 way_NN1 he_PPHS1 is_VBZ far_RG21 from_RG22 alone_JJ in_II his_APPGE postwall_NN1 generation_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 representative_JJ survey_NN1 of_IO more_DAR than_CSN 1,300_MC people_NN published_VVN by_II the_AT German_JJ newspaper_NN1 Welt_NN1 am_VBM Sonntag_NP1 found_VVD that_CST just_RR 11_MC percent_NNU among_II those_DD2 between_II the_AT ages_NN2 of_IO 14_MC and_CC 19_MC defined_VVD themselves_PPX2 as_CSA East_NP1 German_JJ or_CC West_NP1 German_JJ ,_, compared_VVN with_IW 36_MC percent_NNU of_IO Germans_NN2 between_II the_AT ages_NN2 of_IO 40_MC and_CC 49_MC ._. 
Wolfgang_NP1 von_NP1 Schwedler_NP1 ,_, the_AT principal_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 graduate_NN1 of_IO the_AT Humboldt_NP1 school_NN1 ,_, vividly_RR remembered_VVN being_VBG taken_VVN to_II a_AT1 police_NN2 station_NN1 for_IF questioning_VVG because_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ the_AT editor_NN1 of_IO a_AT1 student_NN1 newspaper_NN1 when_CS he_PPHS1 attended_VVD in_II the_AT 1970s_MC2 ._. 
He_PPHS1 also_RR recalled_VVD how_RRQ half_DB a_AT1 dozen_NNO fellow_JJ teachers_NN2 were_VBDR dismissed_VVN after_II reunification_NN1 for_IF having_VHG worked_VVN with_IW the_AT East_NP1 German_JJ secret_JJ police_NN2 ,_, known_VVN as_II the_AT Stasi_NP1 ._. 
But_CCB he_PPHS1 said_VVD his_APPGE students_NN2 found_VVD the_AT annual_JJ ritual_NN1 of_IO dissecting_VVG the_AT events_NN2 surrounding_VVG the_AT country_NN1 's_GE reunification_NN1 to_TO be_VBI boring_JJ ._. 
"_" It_PPH1 's_VBZ like_II when_RRQ we_PPIS2 would_VM say_VVI ,_, 'Oh_NN1 no_UH ,_, Grandpa_NN1 's_VBZ telling_VVG stories_NN2 about_II the_AT war_NN1 again_RT ,_, '_GE "_" Mr._NNB Schwedler_NP1 said_VVD ._. 
After_CS a_AT1 century_NNT1 of_IO war_NN1 ,_, of_IO guard_NN1 towers_NN2 and_CC barbed_JJ wire_NN1 ,_, of_IO tanks_NN2 and_CC gas_NN1 chambers_NN2 ,_, "_" boring_JJ "_" sounds_NN2 tantalizingly_RR close_RR to_II that_RG much_RR desired_VVN national_JJ normality_NN1 ._. 
The_AT reality_NN1 of_IO Germany_NP1 today_RT makes_VVZ it_PPH1 difficult_JJ to_TO remember_VVI the_AT immediate_JJ concerns_NN2 in_II Europe_NP1 after_II the_AT wall_NN1 fell_VVD ._. 
Leaders_NN2 like_II President_NNB Francois_NP1 Mitterrand_NP1 of_IO France_NP1 and_CC ,_, in_RR21 particular_RR22 ,_, Prime_JJ Minister_NN1 Margaret_NP1 Thatcher_NP1 of_IO Britain_NP1 ,_, worried_VVD aloud_RR that_CST a_AT1 reunified_JJ Germany_NP1 was_VBDZ likely_JJ to_TO drift_VVI away_II21 from_II22 the_AT NATO_NP1 alliance_NN1 and_CC the_AT structures_NN2 of_IO the_AT European_JJ Union_NN1 and_CC at_RR21 worst_RR22 might_VM return_VVI to_II the_AT path_NN1 of_IO extreme_JJ nationalism_NN1 ._. 
"_" The_AT fear_NN1 was_VBDZ that_CST this_DD1 thing_NN1 in_II the_AT center_NN1 of_IO Europe_NP1 ,_, if_CS it_PPH1 were_VBDR allowed_VVN to_TO become_VVI unified_VVN ,_, was_VBDZ going_VVGK to_TO be_VBI a_AT1 cancer_NN1 once_RR21 again_RR22 and_CC lead_VV0 to_II Act_NN1 III_MC of_IO the_AT great_JJ European_JJ tragedy_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Robert_NP1 E._NP1 Hunter_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 senior_JJ adviser_NN1 at_II the_AT RAND_NN1 Corporation_NN1 and_CC an_AT1 ambassador_NN1 to_II NATO_NP1 under_II President_NNB Bill_NP1 Clinton_NP1 ._. 
Instead_RR ,_, Mr._NNB Hunter_NP1 said_VVD ,_, "_" the_AT German_JJ problem_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ emerged_VVD with_IW the_AT unifying_JJ of_IO Germany_NP1 beginning_NN1 in_II the_AT 1860s_MC2 ,_, is_VBZ one_MC1 of_IO the_AT few_DA2 problems_NN2 in_II modern_JJ history_NN1 that_CST has_VHZ been_VBN solved_VVN ._. "_" 
If_CS anything_PN1 ,_, Germany_NP1 is_VBZ more_RGR firmly_RR anchored_VVN to_II those_DD2 Western_JJ institutions_NN2 than_CSN ever_RR ,_, after_CS pressing_JJ allies_NN2 to_TO bring_VVI its_APPGE eastern_JJ neighbors_NN2 and_CC former_DA enemies_NN2 like_II Poland_NP1 and_CC the_AT Czech_JJ Republic_NN1 into_II those_DD2 same_DA institutions_NN2 that_CST were_VBDR built_VVN after_II World_NN1 War_NN1 II_MC to_TO bind_VVI West_NP1 Germany_NP1 with_IW France_NP1 and_CC the_AT rest_NN1 of_IO Western_NP1 Europe_NP1 ._. 
Between_II opposing_VVG the_AT Iraq_NP1 war_NN1 and_CC contributing_VVG to_II the_AT defense_NN1 and_CC reconstruction_NN1 of_IO Afghanistan_NP1 ,_, and_CC trumpeting_VVG its_APPGE strict_JJ recycling_NN1 programs_NN2 and_CC booming_JJ solar-power_JJ industry_NN1 ,_, Germany_NP1 is_VBZ trying_VVG to_TO shed_VVI the_AT ghosts_NN2 of_IO its_APPGE past_NN1 and_CC may_VM be_VBI succeeding_VVG ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 've_VH0 never_RR been_VBN ashamed_JJ to_TO come_VVI from_II Germany_NP1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Bjoern_NP1 Viergutz_NP1 ,_, 18_MC ,_, who_PNQS also_RR attends_VVZ the_AT Humboldt_NP1 school_NN1 ._. 
"_" One_PN1 can_VM be_VBI proud_JJ ._. 
When_CS you_PPY compare_VV0 to_II 20_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, an_AT1 immense_JJ amount_NN1 has_VHZ happened_VVN ._. 
The_AT fact_NN1 that_CST there_EX are_VBR differences_NN2 between_II East_ND1 and_CC West_ND1 is_VBZ really_RR normal_JJ ._. 
What_DDQ surprises_VVZ me_PPIO1 is_VBZ that_CST they_PPHS2 're_VBR so_RG minor_JJ ,_, actually_RR ._. "_" 
Most_DAT of_IO the_AT students_NN2 in_II the_AT classroom_NN1 at_II the_AT Humboldt_NP1 school_NN1 were_VBDR entirely_RR unaware_JJ ,_, until_CS a_AT1 reporter_NN1 's_GE question_NN1 ,_, that_CST one_MC1 of_IO their_APPGE classmates_NN2 ,_, Berit_NP1 Eisele_NP1 ,_, 18_MC ,_, commuted_VVD each_DD1 day_NNT1 from_II the_AT former_DA Western_JJ district_NN1 of_IO Tempelhof_NP1 ,_, where_CS American_JJ and_CC British_JJ planes_NN2 flew_VVD supplies_NN2 into_II West_NP1 Berlin_NP1 to_TO break_VVI the_AT Soviet_JJ embargo_NN1 ,_, in_II what_DDQ was_VBDZ known_VVN as_II the_AT Berlin_NP1 Airlift_NN1 ._. 
