The 1980's Timeline. 1989 News, Politics, Music, TV, Movies & Deaths. Growing Up in the 80s. Relive the 1980's by visiting our Growing Up in the 80s pages

What happen in 1989

POLITICS and HISTORY

The Berlin Wall crumbles and East and West Germany are re-united
Thousands of pro-democracy students occupy Tiananmen Square, Peking. The government imposes martial law and uses tanks to disperse the students. Thousands are believed to be killed.
Hungary becomes a democratic country
Romanian Communist Government is overthrown by the people
Solidarity is victorious in the Polish Parliamentary elections
F W DeKlerk becomes President of South Africa, promising reforms to the apartheid policy

MUSIC

My Perogative by Bobby Brown
Straight Up by Paula Abdul
Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Middler
Girl You Know It's True by Milli Vanilli
The Look by Roxette
Two Hearts by Phil Collins
Wild Thing by Tone Loc
Love Shack by the B52s

TV and at the MOVIES

Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell took a Quantum Leap onto our screens
Robin Williams made Shakespeare fun in Dead Poets Society
Morgan Freeman was Driving Miss Daisy
The awesome Bridges became the Fabulous Baker Boys
We all cried in Steel Magnolias
Faking it became dinnertime entertainment When Harry Met Sally
Kirstie Alley and John Travolta had to 'Look Who's Talking'

People who died in 1989

Bette Davis (b.1908) American film actress
Lucille Ball (b.1911) American actress
Salvidor Dali (b.1904) Spanish surrealist artist
Laurence Olivier (b.1907) English film and stage actor
Mel Blanc (b.1908) American cartoon voice (Bugs Bunny)
Emperor Hirohito (b.1901) Japanese leader
Irving Berlin (b.1888) American composer
Samual Beckett (b.1906) Irish Nobel Playwright
Ferdinand Marcos (b.1917) former Philippines leader