For Immediate Release: June 18, 2003
Further information: Ann Scanlon (617) 514-1662
All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin,
and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words
'Ich bin ein Berliner.
President Kennedy, June 26, 1963
BOSTON—June 26, 2003, marks the 40th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic speech in Berlin, where he underscored his solidarity with the people of Berlin by stating “Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”).
The Museum at the John F. Kennedy Library will commemorate the 40th anniversary by showcasing the President’s speech in its “Legacy” wing, the Museum’s final component that highlights President Kennedy’s lasting legacy on the nation and the world. The speech will be aired throughout the day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, 2003, next to a large section of the Berlin Wall, which was donated by the German government and brought to the Museum in 1989 with the help of Jean Kennedy Smith, the President’s sister. The film footage shows the President arriving in West Berlin on June 26, 1963, and delivering his speech to hundreds of thousands of Germans in the Rudolph Wilde Platz, in Berlin. The Rudolph Wilde Platz was later renamed John F. Kennedy Platz.
The Berlin Wall surrounded West Berlin and served as a symbol of the Cold War from the start of its construction the night of August 13, 1961, until its destruction by the end of 1990. President Kennedy believed in “a peaceful and hopeful globe” and stated in his June 26, 1963, speech, “When that day finally comes, as it will, the people of West Berlin can take sober satisfaction in the fact that they were in the front lines for almost two decades.”
The Museum also has on display:
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President Kennedy’s handwritten note card with German phrases written phonetically, including “Ish bin ein Bearleener”
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A photograph of the President standing before the massive crowd
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The Silver Bear, a symbol of Berlin, presented to President Kennedy in honor of his June 1963 visit
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A clock, created by and given to President Kennedy by Heinz Wipperfeld, a Berlin citizen; the clock reflects the struggle between the Soviet Union and the West over the future of Berlin
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A silver freedom bell, presented to President Kennedy in March 1961 by Willy Brandt, Mayor of West Berlin
On June 26, 1963 at Berlin's Rudolph Wilde Platz, President Kennedy said, “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and, therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner." Translated into English, “Ich bin ein Berliner” means “I am a Berliner.”
He also told the West German people and the world: “Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in….”
Footage of President Kennedy’s address at the Rudolph Wilde Platz on June 26, 1963, is a regular feature in the Museum’s “Briefing Room,” which presents film footage of a selection of President Kennedy’s speeches and live press conferences.
The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is open daily 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. throughout the year with the exception of Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Regular admission for adults is $8; seniors and students $6; children ages 13-17 $4; children ages 12 and under free. A full-service café and the Museum Store are also located in the building. The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is located off Morrissey Boulevard, next to the campus of the University of Massachusetts at Boston. Free shuttle service is provided to and from the JFK/UMass T stop on the Red Line. There is also free on-site parking. The Museum is fully handicapped accessible.
The John F. Kennedy Library and Museum is a presidential library administered by the National Archives and Records Administration and is supported, in part, by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, a non-profit organization.