Tear Jerker / Good Bye, Lenin!

• The very scene that gives the film its name. When Christiane wanders out on the street on her own, she uncomprehendingly witnesses a helicopter hauling away the top half of Lenin's bronze statue. For a brief moment, the upraised arm of the statue makes it look as if it is waving goodbye to her for the very last time.
• Alex finally finds the family savings, only to learn at the bank that they are past the deadline and they won't be exchanged for West German marks. Sadly, this was common in reality, with many people missing the deadline date and those who did make it had their money exchanged at very poor rates.
• Alex reuniting with his father, while watching Sandmännchen with his half-siblings.
• When Robert, Alex and Ariane's father, is waiting to talk to Christine, he sees Ariane with her daughter. He is absolutely shocked to see his daughter all grown up with his grandchild, and yet, she turns away from him.
• The speech by "General-Secretary Jähn" announcing that the borders will be opened, accompanied by the East German national anthem. It truly feels like the swan song for a nation that is about to fade into history.
  • Christiane's reaction to the speech. She keeps glancing at Alex when he's looking at the TV, appreciative of what he did to protect her. In the end, she is the one who upholds the deceit for his sake.
• The way in which some of the older friends and neighbours are unable to cope with the change. Look for example at how Klapprath, once a highly respected headmaster, is forcibly retired and driven to drink, or Ganske's ranting about his being unemployed and how Alex seems to be reduced to rooting around in the rubbish, later tearfully longing for the "way things used to be" to return.
• The ending, when Alex and the others hold a funeral for his mother and he comments on how he'll remember her and the country she was part of and died with. All while old footage of East Germany streets and his mother and sister at summer camp is shown.
• Alex and Ariane progressively finding out that their father didn't abandon them willingly but it was their mother who decided not to join him along with the family out of fear. He has been writing them letters for all those years and they never received them.

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