Riccardo Ehrman

Riccardo Ehrman (4 November 1929 – 14 December 2021) was an Italian journalist whose question at a government press conference in the former East Germany is said to have precipitated the fall of the Berlin Wall.

[1] While working for ANSA in Ottawa, Canada, Ehrmann was first sent to Berlin in 1976, but was confined for two months in Rome waiting for his visa to be accepted.

[1][4] After the press conference with his question ended, Ehrman called the ANSA agency headquarters in Rome running shouting "The Berlin Wall has fallen!

"[4] When Ehrman returned home, he received a phone call from the Italian Ambassador to East Germany enquiring what he did at the press conference.

[7] Peter Brinkmann [de], a West German colleague, claims credit as well, because he jumped in before Schabowski answered the question.

The press conference on 9 November 1989, Riccardo Ehrman is near the centre of the picture, sitting down in front of the desk.