Throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the German Democratic Republic presided over an authoritative regime in East Germany. The Monday demonstrations were a series of peaceful political protests opposing this regime, ultimately leading to the destruction of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 and the ultimate reunification of Germany. They employed strategies of peacefulness and nonviolence, derived from the heavy involvement of the church and influence from religious acts such as prayer. The protestors carefully selected locations that were distant from heavy policing, so as to avoid censorship. These demonstrations were based upon a list of demands made clear to the state including expressed desire for freedom of travel and democratic elections. The foremost reason for the success of these protests were their use of public space such as city square as sites of protest, and their publicity through word of mouth and television which resulted in the widespread participation that accounts for its success.
