Young Europeans' thoughts on fall of Berlin Wall

(Reuters) - For generations old enough to have lived through it, the opening of the Berlin Wall will be the iconic image of our time -- an enduring memory that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

But to many Europeans born around 1989, the far more enduring image is the destruction of the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001, ushering in the age of global terrorism and wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Acutely aware of the interconnectedness of modern life, they worry about their jobs, financial security and the burden of what they see as ever-higher expectations -- their own, their peers' and their parents'. Some see the consumerism of the west as too demanding.

Following are some of their comments to Reuters correspondents:

ALEX BEDDOES, 23, client services co-ordinator, London

"I will always remember what I was doing on September 11th. I was sailing and when my sister called to tell me I thought it was a prank call.

"(This is my generation's enduring image) I think probably because of the people jumping out of the buildings, knowing that they didn't stand a chance, and the bravery of the emergency services putting themselves in so much danger. It led to the `War or Terror' for almost this entire decade, an overwhelming effect on foreign policy around the globe and has affected almost every facet of our lives.

"The extra security means that travelling isn't the same, public paranoia has led to the rise of the BNP and other far right parties around Europe and two of my close friends are off to Afghanistan.

"Our parents had fewer worries. They had no student loans, only grants. No worries about buying a house, no difficulties in finding a job, no worries about huge amounts of national debt."