THE BERLIN WALL

The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August

1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin. The

wall stood from 1961 to 1989

For what reasons was the Berlin Wall built?

• JFK said ‘’ it’s better to have a wall than a war’’But the real reason for the Berlin wall was to

prevent residents of East Berlin into West Berlin(West Germany).

1. more than 2.6 million East Germans escaped to West Berlin or West Germany from 1949 to 1961 (total population 17 million!).

2. the life in the West was much better than in the East after 1948.

3. East Germany lost too many skilled workers in these years.

In the end, the Berlin Wall was 96 miles (155 km) long and the average height of the concrete wall was 11.8 ft (3.60 m)

• The Red Army captured Berlin and with the end of World War II, on May 8, 1945, Berlin is divided into four sectors: the American, British, and French the West; the Soviet in the East:

What impact did it have on Germany and its people?

• The Berlin wall had an impact to the German people and families by separating them from their loved ones. They had no freedom and the people that were stuck for different reasons in the East side had terrible life conditions there .

• 1961: Residents of West Berlin show children to their grandparents who reside on the Eastern side

• two lovers separated by the wall but still together (ugh)

The urge to escape the East

133 people were confirmed killed trying to cross into West

Berlin. There were also some

5,000 successful

escapes into West Berlin.

What countries were involved?

• The countries that were involved in the separation of Berlin (east and west Germany) were : Germany, being the location of Berlin, was the focal point. The US and NATO (British, French) were on one side of the wall. The Soviet Union was on the other side of the issues.

Why was it considered a symbol of the Cold War?

• It was considered a symbol of the Cold War because the wall separated the part of Germany that was influenced by the U.S and the one influenced by the Sovietics. So it separated the world into two parts owned by the two biggest world powers. And that’s what the cold war is all about, separating the world into two equal powers.

Who were the historical personalities involved and their

roles?

Yacheslav Molotov Stalin’s foreign

minister that proposes that the East Germans should “introduce a system of passes for visits of West Berlin residents to the territory of East Berlin [so as to stop] free movement of Western agents” in the GDR

President J. F. Kennedy

June26,1963 President J. F. Kennedy visits Berlin and declares: “Ich bin ein Berliner.” (“I am a Berliner.”). He warned the Sovietics that if they cause fear than they can never escape from fear(dont mess with NATO.)

• Nikita Khrushchev• (1894-1971) • led the Soviet

Union during the height of the Cold War, serving as premier from 1958 to 1964 he was the one that approved the construction of the Berlin Wall

• This slide is here just to make it an even number

• Perfectionist if you ask me .• K bye.