On October 7, 1989, GDR celebrated its 40th anniversary. Mikhail Gorbachev was the main guest of honor, no surprises here. But what he said on that day in interviews was later reported by news outlets along the lines of "How 'Gorbi' spoiled DDR's 40th Birthday Party"...

Gorbachev at GDR’s 40th anniversary

Spiegel Online: How 'Gorbi' Spoiled East Germany's 40th Birthday Party