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 What and where?
Barrier surrounding West Berlin that closed off East Germans
access to West Berlin
from 1961 to 1989.
By East German government.
Occurred due to the collapse of Nazi and Communist

When?
On the night of Aug. 12 ± 13, 1961,
It developed into a system of concrete walls topped with barbed
wire and guarded with watchtowers, gun emplacements, and
mines.

It was opened in the 1989 democratization that swept through

eastern Europe and has been largely torn down.
 Why?
to keep East Germans from fleeing their
Communist state.

It was maintained by the former

German Democratic Republic (GDR),
commonly known as East Germany, until 1989.

As a symbol of the Cold War,

the post-1945 struggle between the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics (USSR) and its allies, including
East Germany, and the United States and its allies.
 Investment:
= Western aid flowed into Germany
= Soviets took 25% out as compensation

Eastern transition to state-run socialist economy

= emphasis on heavy industry, not consumer goods
= cheaper foodstuffs
= agricultural reform: 1960: from 45% to 85% collectivized
 rrowing tension
Ö mennedy tried to get tough on Communism.
Ö He financed the forces fighting the Communists in
Vietnam and Laos
Ö In 1961 he helped an invasion of Cuba

mabotage
Ö Úhe Russians claimed that the Americans used
West Berlin for spying and sabotage
 November 9 is considered the date the Wall fell, but the Wall in its
entirety was not torn down immediately.

Úhe East German regime announced the opening of ten new border
crossings the following weekend, including some in historically
significant locations
Potsdamer Platz, Glienicker Brucke & Bernauer Strasse

New border crossings continued to be opened through the middle of

1990, including the Brandenburg Gate on December 22, 1989.

West Germans and West Berliners were allowed visa-free travel

starting December 23. Until then they could only visit East Germany
and East Berlin under restrictive conditions that involved application
for a visa
 Úechnically, the Wall remained guarded for some
time after November 9, though at a decreasing intensity

In the first months, the East German military even

tried to repair some of the damages done by the
µwall peckers¶(People come to the Berlin Wall with
hammers trying to take home a piece of history).

On June 13, 1990, the official dismantle of the Wall by

the East German military began in Bernauer Strasse.
 On July 1, the day East Germany adopted the West
German currency, all @

border controls end,
although the inter-German border had become
meaningless for some time before that.

Úhe dismantling continued to be carried out by military units

(after unification under the Bundeswehr) and lasted until
November 1991. Only a few short sections and
watchtowers were left standing as memorials.

Úhe fall of the Wall was the first step toward German
reunification, which was formally concluded on
October 3, 1990.
 Úhe Berlin Wall was constructed in the period after
WW1 (1961) by the East German Government.

During that time the cold war was at its peak and the wall
itself came to be regarded as a symbol dividing
two ideologies as East Germany had a
Communist Government while West Germany had a
democratically elected government.

It¶s constructed in an effort to prevent mass migration of

people from East Germany & West Germany.

After the construction was effectively divided into 2 parts,

each completely isolated from the other.
 Úhe wall was pulled down in 1989 after mass
demonstration sparked off by Hungary opening its
border with Austria which resulted in thousands of
East German tourist entering Austria.

Úhe collapse of the wall signified the unification of

Germany and a victory of the people over tyranny.

Úhe event was the indication for the end of Cold War
which in fact ended a couple of years later in 1991
and the and dismantling of the Communist alliance
] „ay 8, 1945 World War II is over and Berlin is divided into 4
sectors; the American, British, French in the West
and the Soviet in the East
] June 30, 1946At the instigation of the Soviet „ilitary
administration the demarcation line between East
and West Germany safeguarded
] Oct 29, 1946 A 30 day valid Interzonenpass is required to travel
between the sectors in Germany
] June 23, 1948 Currency reform in Berlin, Berlin is divided into two
different currency zones
] June 24, 1948 Begin of the Berlin blockade
] June 25, 1948 Berlin Airlift begins
] „ay 12, 1949 End of Berlin blockade
] „ay 24, 1949 Federal Republic of Germany is founded (West
Germany)
] Sept 30, 1949 End of Berlin Airlift
Ö Oct 7, 1949 German Democratic Republic is founded (East Germany)
Ö „ay 26, 1952 Border between East and West Germany and between
East Germany and West Berlin is closed. Only the border
between East and West Berlin is still opened
Ö June 17, 1953 Uprising of East Berlin building workers against the
imposition of increased working norms, suppression by
Red Army tanks
Ö Nov 14, 1953 Úhe Western Powers waive the Interzonenpass, the
Soviet Union follows but East German citizen need a
permission to travel to the West
Ö Dec 11, 1957 Leaving East Germany without permission is forbidden
and violations are prosecuted with prison up to three
years
Ö Aug 13, 1961 Úhe Berlin sectorial border between East and West
Berlin is closed, barriers are built
Ö Aug 14, 1961 Brandenburg Gate is closed
Ö Aug 26, 1961 All crossing points are closed for West Berlin citizens
Ö June 26, 1963 President J. F. mennedy visits Berlin and says: "Ich bin
ein Berliner." ("I am a Berliner.")
Ö Dec 17, 1963 West Berliner citizen may visit East Berlin the first time
after more than two years
Ö Sept 3, 1971 Four Power's Agreement over Berlin visiting becomes
easier for West Berliners
Ö June 12, 1987 President Ronald Reagan visits Berlin and urges Soviet
leader „ikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.
Ö Sept 10, 1989 Hungarian government opens border for East German
refugees
Ö Nov 9, 1989 Berlin Wall is opened
Ö Dec 22, 1989 Brandenburg Gate is opened
Ö Oct 3, 1990 Germany is reunited