just a piece of paper..9th November 1989

This is the press release that declared to the world that permission to leave East Germany was no longer needed.
The declaration did not run quite as anticipated because when asked to say when the new rule would take effect Schabowski , he re-read the release. In German the present tense is often used for a future event, but with a future date, like "tomorrow ". That was missing so the meaning was clear - "at once, without delay".
On youtube you can watch this event.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQiriTompdY