Alexander Platz November 4, 1989

On this date in 1989 a large anti government demonstration took place in Alexanderplatz in the GDR.

Among the speakers at that demonstration were writers Stefan Heym and Christa Wolf. Also there was Ulrich Mühe, who played the lead role of Wiesler in the film The lives of Others.

Mühe died soon after the making of the film. Subsequent to the fall of the Wall the actor discovered that his wife was spying on him and working for the Stasi.

Some days before the demonstration in Alexander Platz Egon Krenz replaced Erich Honecker as SED leader and the top man in the GDR.

Krenz was the perfect party man. Spent his entire life in the shadow of the leaders, in so-called 'important jobs'. At one stage in charge of the FDJ - the GDR youth movement.

He was always considered a wise man, did those secretary jobs that every organisation gives to its 'wise men'.

Krenz is a paradigm for all those who play the politicial game, whether in State or church, never really express an idea but somehow or other, people think they have a wisdom about them.

Of course most of them are 'yes men'.

Once the change became clear, Krenz explained how he really was never a 'hardliner'.

And then reality hit the people, the party, the country and maybe even eventually Krenz spotted who he really is - a Mr Nobody, the perfect sycophant.

He was later charged with manslaughter and a period in jail.

Guess what, he might well still be doing the job of secretary somewhere, somehow.