John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, delivered the famous phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner" on June 26, 1963, during a speech in West Berlin. He spoke these words before a large crowd at Rathaus Schöneberg (Schöneberg City Hall) in what was then West Berlin, nearly two years after the construction of the Berlin Wall.

Context and Significance

Kennedy's visit aimed to demonstrate American support for West Berliners, who were isolated as a democratic enclave surrounded by communist East Germany during the Cold War. The phrase translates to "I am a Berliner" and expressed solidarity with the people of Berlin. Kennedy used it to emphasize that all free people, regardless of where they lived, were connected to Berlin's struggle for freedom.

The Speech

In his address, Kennedy declared: "Two thousand years ago the proudest boast was 'Civis romanus sum.' Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner'". He concluded by stating: "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'". The speech became one of the most memorable moments of the Cold War era and remains a powerful symbol of international solidarity and the defense of freedom.