The announcement of the new laws which brought down the Berlin Wall took place at 6 pm on 9 November 1989,  at a live press conference led by Günter Schabowski, the party leader in East Berlin. Schabowski had not been involved in the discussions about the new regulations and consequently was not adequately informed. Shortly before the press conference, he was handed a note outlining the changes to be announced, but given no further instructions on how to handle the content. The note specified that East German citizens could apply for permission to travel abroad, and permanent emigration between all border crossings—including those between East and West Berlin – would be allowed.
At 6:53 pm, near the end of the press conference, when asked if the draft travel law of 6 November was a mistake, Schabowski gave a confusing answer that it was necessary because West Germany had exhausted its capacity to accept fleeing East Germans, then remembered the note he had been handed and went on to add that a new regulation had been drafted to allow permanent emigration at any border crossing. This caused a stir in the room, several questions came flying at once. When asked when the regulations would take effect, Schabowski replied hesitantly, "As far as I know, it takes effect immediately, without delay". And after some confused interjections between party members, when asked what this law meant for the Berlin Wall, Schabowski froze for a few moments, before blurting out something to the effect of the Wall being tied to the larger disarmament question. He then ended the press conference promptly at 7 pm, as journalists hurried out of the room.