Obama Tells Germans: Racial, Political Divisions Are "Walls We Must Tear Down"

Berlin, Germany (AHN) - An estimated 200,000 people gathered at Berlin's Victory Column and became captive audience to Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) on Thursday as the U.S. Democratic presidential nominee spoke about the close historical ties between transatlantic nations.

"Tonight, I speak to you not as a candidate for President, but as a citizen - a proud citizen of the United States, and a fellow citizen of the world," Obama said. "I know that I don't look like the Americans who've previously spoken in this great city. The journey that led me here is improbable."

"This city, of all cities, knows the dream of freedom. And you know that the only reason we stand here tonight is because men and women from both of our nations came together to work, and struggle, and sacrifice for that better life," he added. Obama spoke about the cooperation between nations after World War II, and how "burdens of global citizenship," such as terrorism and nuclear threats, have arisen despite successes such as the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Obama made reference to the historic speech by former U.S. president Ronald Reagan before Brandenburg Gate, where he was originally supposed to speak.

"The walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand. The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down," he said.

"People of Berlin, people of the world, this is our moment. This is our time," Obama, who enjoys enormous popularity in Europe, also said.

Obama earlier tried to "tamp down expectations" about his speech, and said it should not be seen as a political rally. He did not mention Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in his address.

The presumptive Democratic nominee's speech followed a tour of the Middle East and private meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. His visit in Berlin ends Friday morning, when he flies to London for talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Paris. He will meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, opposition leader David Cameron and British former Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on Saturday before flying home to Chicago.