A Message to America from the Berlin Wall
The words of an anonymous artist from 1990 feel uncannily directed at the United States under Trump
I recently walked along the remnants of the Berlin Wall — those sections that still stand in the heart of the city. Decades after the Wall fell, they remain covered in powerful artwork, messages from a time when freedom was freshly reclaimed and the scars of separation were still raw. Many murals caught my eye, but one in particular stopped me in my tracks. It stirred something deep within me — especially in light of today’s world events.
This mural depicts the Earth floating in space, framed by a jagged hole in the wall. A golden ribbon encircles the Earth, flowing forward and resting on the breach. The fabric creates a bridge between the world beyond and the viewer, inviting them to embark on a journey of discovery. The flowing material emphasizes that the rupture is not destruction, but an opening — a gateway to a freer world. It speaks not only to Germany’s past but to a universal struggle for liberation, one that extends to all of humanity.
To the right of the image, a simple yet profound statement is written:
“You have learned what freedom means — and that, never forget.”
The anonymous artist, signing only as "A. Sécrit," painted this in 1990, just one year after the Wall fell. This was the voice of a people who had lived through Nazi tyranny, division, and the oppression of the East German regime. The people of Berlin had seen how easily freedoms could be taken, and they vowed never to forget.
A Message for America
This message carries a heavy weight. In that moment, as I stood before the mural, it felt as though it had been painted not just for Berliners and international visitors, but also specifically for the people of today’s America.
By chance or design, the United States sits at the center of the painted globe — the only nation clearly visible through the clouds. It’s as if the artist sensed that one day, America might be the country to need this message most.
America has long prided itself on being a beacon of freedom. Of course, the reality has always been more complex — many have suffered under racial, economic, and social injustices. And internationally, the country has often caused harm or wielded its power irresponsibly. But if there was one value America held above all others, one principle the world most closely associated with its name, it was freedom.
But now, that freedom is under siege.
The Alarming Signs of Decline
For most of American history, the idea that democracy itself could collapse seemed unthinkable. An authoritarian takeover? That was for other places, other times.
Not anymore.
America, do you recognize the signs?
When books are banned, and journalists are silenced.
When peaceful protests are met with violence.
When leaders openly praise dictators and flirt with authoritarian rule.
When elections are threatened and democracy is called into question.
These are not random events. These are warning signs. We have seen this before, in Germany, in Russia, in countless nations where democracy eroded until nothing remained but power and fear.
Freedom Is Not a Birthright — It Is a Responsibility
Americans have long believed in their country’s exceptionalism — that democracy here is too strong to fail. But that belief is dangerous. Freedom is not an inheritance. It is not something guaranteed by borders or history. It is a fight. It is something each generation must defend, or risk losing entirely.
Berliners learned this the hard way. They saw their democracy crumble. They saw friends and family disappear. They saw history rewritten in real time. And when the Wall finally fell, they swore: Never again.
“Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”
— Coretta Scott King
History Repeats — Unless We Stop It
I grew up in a family that taught me, in meticulous detail, how Hitler rose to power. How the Nazis manipulated fear. How ordinary people let it happen. I learned that democracy doesn’t die overnight — it is chipped away, piece by piece, until one day, people wake up and realize it is gone. And by then, it is too late.
We are watching this play out again. Not in Germany. Not in some distant land. Here. In America.
Some say, “It can’t happen here.” But it is happening. Walls are not always made of concrete. Sometimes, they are built with lies, with propaganda, with laws that strip away rights.
The Future Is in Our Hands
The Berlin Wall fell because people refused to accept its existence. They fought back — not with guns, but with courage. With voices. With an unshakable refusal to submit.
Now, America must make a choice. Will we allow the walls to rise? Will we trade freedom for fear, truth for illusion? Or will we remember what freedom truly means?
We have seen the cost of silence. We have seen the cost of apathy. The moment to act is now. As Sen. Jeff Merkley aptly puts it: “The best time to take on a tyrant is as early as possible.” Things may look bleak at the moment — but if we get active, there is good reason for hope.
Speak out. Organize. Vote. Demand accountability.
Do not let history repeat itself.
America, you have learned what freedom means. And that, never forget.
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Pala, extremely well said. The future of America looks bleak, but only if we let it be so. I’m ready, and think more and more Americans are as well.
Great article for the truth, we must stand up and say something and do something