What are facts about the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall Facts for Kids
- The Potsdam Conference. The Potsdam Conference was a meeting of Allied leaders. ...
- A split Germany. In 1949, Germany split into two separate countries. ...
- Blockage. The city of West Berlin was a capitalist city in the middle of East Germany. ...
- Building the wall. ...
- Three decades. ...
- The fall of the Berlin Wall. ...
- East Side Gallery. ...
- Tränenpalast. ...
- Sources:
What was the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall?
The fall of the Berlin Wall ( German: Mauerfall) on 9 November 1989 was a pivotal event in world history which marked the falling of the Iron Curtain and the start of the fall of communism in Eastern and Central Europe. The fall of the inner German border took place shortly afterwards.
What were the effects of the Berlin Wall?
Effects Of The Berlin Wall
- Evaluate The Social And Economic Effects Of The Berlin Wall. ...
- The City Of Berlin And The Creation Of The Berlin Wall. ...
- The Cold War: The German Democratic Republic. ...
- Berlin Wall Migration. ...
- Comparing Mending Wall And Tear Down This Wall By Ronald Reagan. ...
- Depiction Of The Berlin Wall. ...
- World War II : The Cold War
Why did the Berlin Wall come down in 1989?
Why did the Berlin Wall come down in 1989? The wall came down partly because of a bureaucratic accident but it fell amid a wave of revolutions that left the Soviet-led communist bloc teetering on the brink of collapse and helped define a new world order.
When and why was the Berlin Wall created?
In the wee hours of August 13, 1961, as Berliners slept, the GDR began building fences and barriers to seal off entry points from East Berlin into the western part of the city. The overnight move stunned Germans on both sides of the new border.
What caused the Soviets to build the Berlin Wall?
The Wall was built in 1961 to prevent East Germans from fleeing and stop an economically disastrous migration of workers. It was a symbol of the Cold War, and its fall in 1989 marked the approaching end of the war.
Why did Russia give up East Germany?
As part of the 1990 agreement for German reunification, the former conquerors of World War II promised to pull their soldiers out of Berlin by this fall. Russia further agreed to leave Germany ++ altogether, getting a $9 billion farewell gift to ease the pain of resettling its departing soldiers.
Who was responsible for the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was built by the German Democratic Republic during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping Soviet-controlled East Berlin to West Berlin, which was controlled by the major Western Allies. It divided the city of Berlin into two physically and ideologically contrasting zones.
Why did the Soviets build the Berlin Wall quizlet?
Why was the Berlin Wall built? To keep people from fleeing East Berlin, and to separate East and West Berlin.
Why did the Soviets blockade Berlin?
Led by Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union wanted to punish Germany economically, forcing the country to pay war reparations and contribute its industrial technology to help postwar Soviet recovery.
What are 3 facts about the Berlin Wall?
Top 15 Facts about the Berlin WallThe wall was built after World War II. ... The wall initially consisted of barbed wires and concrete blocks. ... Hundreds died while crossing the wall. ... There was no government order to bring down the wall. ... The Berlin Wall was compared to the stringent U.S immigration policy.More items...•
Why was the Berlin Wall important to the Cold War?
The Berlin Wall would prevent the West from having further influence on the East, stop the flow of migrants out of the communist sector, and ultimately become the most iconic image of the Cold War in Europe. The United States quickly condemned the wall, which divided families and limited freedom of movement.
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
The Berlin Wall was built by the German Democratic Republic during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping Soviet-controlled East Berl...
When did the Berlin Wall fall?
The border between East and West Germany was opened on November 9, 1989, following anti-government protests in East Germany and the democratization...
What was the “death strip”?
The “death strip” was the belt of sand- or gravel-covered land between the two main barriers of the Berlin Wall. It was constantly under surveillan...
Does the Berlin Wall still exist?
Segments of the Berlin Wall still exist in modern Berlin, notably on display at the Topography of Terror museum, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and the...
How tall was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was actually a system of barriers that included two walls. In the system’s final form, the outer wall, called the Vorderlandmauer,...
What was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall ( German: Berliner Mauer, pronounced [bɛʁˌliːnɐ ˈmaʊ̯ɐ] ( listen)) was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Construction of the wall was commenced by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) on 13 August 1961. The Wall cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany, including East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area (later known as the "death strip") that contained anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails and other defenses. The Eastern Bloc portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" from building a socialist state in East Germany.
Which country built the Berlin Wall?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. Barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic, enclosing West Berlin. This article is about the wall that surrounded West Berlin during the Cold War. For the border that divided most of East and West Germany, see Inner German border.
What was the Eastern Bloc's view of the Berlin Wall?
The Eastern Bloc portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" from building a socialist state in East Germany. GDR authorities officially referred to the Berlin Wall as the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart ( German: Antifaschistischer Schutzwall ).
Why did the US and UK want to seal off the Berlin Wall?
They considered the Wall as an end to concerns about a GDR/Soviet retaking or capture of the whole of Berlin; the Wall would presumably have been an unnecessary project if such plans were afloat. Thus, they concluded that the possibility of a Soviet military conflict over Berlin had decreased.
Why was the Berlin border more accessible?
Accordingly, Berlin became the main route by which East Germans left for the West. On 11 December 1957, East Germany introduced a new passport law that reduced the overall number of refugees leaving Eastern Germany.
How many people escaped the Berlin Wall?
Between 1961 and 1989, the Wall prevented almost all such emigration. During this period, over 100,000 people attempted to escape, and over 5,000 people succeeded in escaping over the Wall, with an estimated death toll ranging from 136 to more than 200 in and around Berlin.
Why was Berlin a magnet for East Germans?
This resulted in Berlin becoming a magnet for East Germans desperate to escape life in the GDR, and also a flashpoint for tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. In 1955, the Soviets gave East Germany authority over civilian movement in Berlin, passing control to a regime not recognized in the West.
Why did the Berlin Wall happen?
The Berlin Wall came to symbolize the Cold War ’s division of East from West Germany and of eastern from western Europe. About 5,000 East Germans managed to cross the Berlin Wall (by various means) and reach West Berlin safely, while another 5,000 were captured by East German authorities in the attempt and 191 more were killed during ...
When did people gather at the Berlin Wall?
People from East and West Berlin gathering at the Berlin Wall on November 10, 1989, one day after the wall opened.
How many East Germans fled the Berlin Wall?
In the years between 1949 and 1961, about 2.5 million East Germans had fled from East to West Germany, including steadily rising numbers ...
How tall was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was actually a system of barriers that included two walls. In the system’s final form, the outer wall , called the Vorderlandmauer, was 11.5–13 feet (3.5–4 metres) tall, and the inner wall, the Hinterlandmauer, was 6.5–10 feet (2–3 metres) tall.
What is the boundary between East and West Berlin?
The boundary between East and West Berlin and the boundary between West Berlin and East Germany, for a combined length…. …of the Soviets, erected the Berlin Wall, isolating West from East Berlin. West Berlin, then literally an island within the surrounding GDR, became the symbol of Western freedom.
What is West Berlin?
West Berlin, then literally an island within the surrounding GDR, became the symbol of Western freedom. Generous cultural and economic subsidies and the exemption of its citizens from West German conscription made West Berlin a centre of artistic…. 9–10, 1989, when the Berlin Wall was breached.
When was the Berlin Wall breached?
9–10, 1989, when the Berlin Wall was breached. Erected by the East German authorities in 1961 to prevent their citizens from fleeing to the West, the Wall was a concrete symbol of the division of Berlin, of Germany, and of Europe. Less than a year later, on Oct. 3,….
Where did the Berlin Wall originate?
Although Berlin was located about 90 miles east from the border between the GDR and West Germany and completely surrounded by the Soviet sector, the city was also originally divided into four quarters, ...
What did the Berliners do to the Berlin Wall?
As they celebrated with champagne, music, and tears, Berliners began to literally tear down the wall with sledgehammers and chisels. Less than a month later, the GDR collapsed entirely, and in 1990, Germany reunified. The Soviet Union followed suit, and today the fall of the Berlin Wall is seen as a symbol of the end of the Cold War.
What happened to the East Berliners?
Thousands of East Berliners flooded toward border crossings along the Wall, where confused guards eventually opened the gates. As East Berliners pushed through, tens of thousands of West Berliners met them in a massive outpouring of emotion and celebration.
Why did the GDR close its borders?
The brain drain and worker shortage that resulted prompted the GDR to close its border with West Germany in 1952, making it much harder for people to cross from “Communist” to “free” Europe. ( Revisit National Geographic' s reporting from West Berlin before the wall fell.)
How many miles of concrete was built in Berlin?
Eventually, East Germany erected 27 miles of concrete wall through the city. The Wall was actually two parallel walls punctuated with guard towers and separated by the “death strip,” which included guard dog runs, landmines, barbed wire, and various obstacles designed to prevent escape.
How long was the Berlin Wall?
Erected in haste and torn down in protest, the Berlin Wall was almost 27 miles long and was protected with barbed wire, attack dogs, and 55,000 landmines. But though the wall stood between 1961 and 1989, it could not survive a massive democratic movement that ended up bringing down the the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR) ...
How many people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall?
Between 1961 and 1989, over 5,000 people made successful escapes. Others were not so lucky; at least 140 were killed or died while trying to cross the Wall. Over the years, the Wall became a grim symbol of the Cold War. By 1989, many East Germans had had enough.
What was the purpose of the Berlin Wall?
Its purpose was to keep disaffected East Germans from fleeing to the West.
How long was the Berlin Wall?
The total length of the Berlin Wall was 96 miles (155 kilometers). 4 It cut not only through the center of Berlin, but also wrapped around West Berlin, entirely cutting it off from the rest of East Germany.
What happened in East Berlin in 1961?
Just after midnight on the night of August 12–13, 1961, trucks with soldiers and construction workers rumbled through East Berlin. While most Berliners were sleeping, these crews began tearing up streets that entered into West Berlin. They dug holes to put up concrete posts and strung barbed wire all across the border between East and West Berlin. Telephone wires between East and West Berlin were also cut and railroad lines were blocked.
How many bunkers were there in the Berlin Wall?
The East Germans also installed anti-vehicle trenches, electric fences, massive light systems, 302 watchtowers, 20 bunkers, and even minefields. 4
What was the West Berlin?
Since the city of Berlin had been situated entirely within the Soviet Zone of Occupation, West Berlin became an island of democracy within Communist East Germany.
How many people fled East Germany in 1949?
Scholars estimate that between 1949 and 1961, nearly 3 million of the GDR's 18 million populace fled East Germany. 2 The government was desperate to stop this mass exodus, and the obvious leak was the easy access East Germans had to West Berlin.
Where was the checkpoint in the Cold War?
The most famous of these was Checkpoint Charlie, located on the border between East and West Berlin at Friedrichstrasse. Checkpoint Charlie was the main access point for Allied personnel and Westerners to cross the border. Soon after the Berlin Wall was built, Checkpoint Charlie became an icon of the Cold War, one that has frequently been featured in movies and books set during this time period.
What was the Berlin Wall?
2. The Berlin Wall came to represent the ideological divisions of the Cold War.
When did the Berlin Wall fall?
The Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989. In 1989, political changes in Eastern Europe and civil unrest in Germany put pressure on the East German government to loosen some of its regulations on travel to West Germany.
What was the impact of the fall of the Berlin Wall on the East and West?
East and West Berliners came together in celebration. The fall of the Berlin Wall was the first step towards German reunification. The political, economic and social impact of the fall of the Berlin Wall further weakened the already unstable East German government.
How many people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall?
By 1989, the Wall was lined with 302 watchtowers. More than 100 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall over the course of its 28-year history.
How long is the Berlin Wall?
hide. 4. The Berlin Wall was heavily guarded. The Berlin Wall was not one wall, but two. Measuring 155 kilometres (96 miles) long and four metres (13 feet) tall, these walls were separated by a heavily guarded, mined corridor of land known as the 'death strip'.
What was Berlin divided into?
hide. 1. Berlin was a divided city before the wall. At the end of the Second World War, Germany was divided into four zones of occupation under the control of the United States, Britain, France and the Soviet Union. Berlin, although located within the Soviet zone, was also split amongst the four powers. The American, British and French sectors ...
When did East Germany allow travel to the West?
On 9 November 1989 , government spokesman Gunter Schabowski announced at a press conference that every citizen of East Germany would be allowed to travel to the West, effective immediately. The Berlin Airlift was the first major confrontation between the East and the West during the Cold War.
Who brought down the Berlin Wall?from en.wikipedia.org
The announcement of the regulations which brought down the wall took place at an hour-long press conference led by Günter Schabowski, the party leader in East Berlin and the top government spokesman, beginning at 18:00 CET on 9 November and broadcast live on East German television and radio.
Why did the Berlin Wall fall?from bbc.com
The wall came down partly because of a bureaucratic accident but it fell amid a wave of revolutions that left the Soviet-led communist bloc teetering on the brink of collapse and helped define a new world order.
How did the Wall come down?from bbc.com
It was on 9 November 1989, five days after half a million people gathered in East Berlin in a mass protest, that the Berlin Wall dividing communist East Germany from West Germany crumbled.
Why didn't the Soviets use force?from bbc.com
Earlier in '89, Beijing demonstrators in Tiananmen Square who had called for democracy in China were crushed in a major military crackdown.
How many checkpoints were there in Berlin?from history.com
After the wall was built, it became impossible to get from East to West Berlin except through one of three checkpoints: at Helmstedt (“Checkpoint Alpha” in American military parlance), at Dreilinden (“Checkpoint Bravo”) and in the center of Berlin at Friedrichstrasse (“Checkpoint Charlie”). (Eventually, the GDR built 12 checkpoints along the wall.)
What was the Eastern Bloc's view of the Berlin Wall?from en.wikipedia.org
The Eastern Bloc portrayed the Wall as protecting its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" from building a socialist state in East Germany. GDR authorities officially referred to the Berlin Wall as the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart ( German: Antifaschistischer Schutzwall ).
How many people were killed trying to get over the Berlin Wall?from history.com
In all, at least 171 people were killed trying to get over, under or around the Berlin Wall. Escape from East Germany was not impossible, however: From 1961 until the wall came down in 1989, more than 5,000 East Germans (including some 600 border guards) managed to cross the border by jumping out of windows adjacent to the wall, climbing over the barbed wire, flying in hot air balloons, crawling through the sewers and driving through unfortified parts of the wall at high speeds.
How long ago did the Berlin Wall fall?
The fall of the Berlin Wall 29 years ago was one of the most consequential events of the 20th century, exposing the Soviet Union as a corrupt, weak “empire” and effectively ending the Cold War. But it did not happen overnight.
When did the Berlin Wall fall?
Just 10 months later, on November 9, a tidal wave of East Germans poured across the West Berlin border when travel restrictions were lifted, and the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. Part of the reason lay in geography.
Why did communists abandon communism?
The communist leaders of Eastern Europe candidly acknowledged, “We no longer believe in Marxism-Leninism.” Without the glue of ideology, the communist façade of power and authority cracked and the people’s natural desire for freedom, dammed up for more than 40 years, burst forth.
Why did the communists collapse?
It collapsed because of the Reagan Doctrine, which applied economic, political and strategic pressure (including the Strategic Defense Initiative) on Moscow. The fall of the Berlin Wall 29 years ago was one ...
Why did communism go into oblivion?
A further reason for the slide of Soviet communism into oblivion was its inability to deliver the goods. When Mikhail Gorbachev was named the general secretary of the Soviet communist party in 1985, he took command of “a totally stagnant state dominated by a corrupt totalitarian party.”.
Who was the leader of the Polish trade union movement that challenged the communist government of Poland?
Lech Walesa, the founder of the Polish trade union movement that challenged the communist government of Poland and prepared the way for the end of communism throughout Eastern and Central Europe, put his feelings about President Reagan simply, “We in Poland … owe him our liberty.” As do the tens of millions behind the Iron Curtain caught up in one of the longest conflicts in history — the Cold War.
Who was responsible for the fall of the Berlin Wall?
The leader most responsible for the fall of the Wall of course was President Ronald Reagan, who stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987 and issued a direct challenge to the Soviets, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”.
Why did the Berlin Wall fall?
The wall came down partly because of a bureaucratic accident but it fell amid a wave of revolutions that left the Soviet-led communist bloc teetering on the brink of collapse and helped define a new world order.
How did the Wall come down?
It was on 9 November 1989, five days after half a million people gathered in East Berlin in a mass protest, that the Berlin Wall dividing communist East Germany from West Germany crumbled.
Why didn't the Soviets use force?
Earlier in '89, Beijing demonstrators in Tiananmen Square who had called for democracy in China were crushed in a major military crackdown.
How did East German leaders try to calm mounting protests?
East German leaders had tried to calm mounting protests by loosening the borders, making travel easier for East Germans. They had not intended to open the border up completely.
What happened in the 1980s?
By the 1980s, the Soviet Union faced acute economic problems and major food shortages, and when a nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl power station in Ukraine exploded in April 1986, it was a symbolic moment in the impending collapse of the communist bloc.
What was East Germany known as?
East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic, became the Soviet Union's foothold in Western Europe. But Berlin was split four ways, with British, French and American zones in the west of the city and a Soviet zone in the east. West Berlin became an island surrounded by communist East Germany.
When did Solidarity take over the parliament?
By February 1989, Solidarity was in talks with the government, and partially free elections in the summer saw it capture seats in parliament. Though the Communists retained a quota of seats, Solidarity swept the board wherever it was allowed to stand. image copyright. Getty Images.
Overview
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It encircled West Berlin, separating it from East German territory. Construction of the wall was commenced by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) on 13 August 1961. The Wall cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany, including East Berlin. It included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area (later known as the "death strip") that contain…
Background
After the end of World War II in Europe, what remained of pre-war Germany west of the Oder-Neisse line was divided into four occupation zones (as per the Potsdam Agreement), each one controlled by one of the four occupying Allied powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union. The capital of Berlin, as the seat of the Allied Control Council, was similarly subdivided into four sectors despite the city's location, which was fully within the Sovie…
Erection of the inner German border
By the early 1950s, the Soviet approach to controlling national movement, restricting emigration, was emulated by most of the rest of the Eastern Bloc, including East Germany. The restrictions presented a quandary for some Eastern Bloc states, which had been more economically advanced and open than the Soviet Union, such that crossing borders seemed more natural—especially where no prior border existed between East and West Germany.
Start of the construction (1961)
On 15 June 1961, First Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party and GDR State Council chairman Walter Ulbricht stated in an international press conference, "Niemand hat die Absicht, eine Mauer zu errichten!" (No one has the intention of erecting a wall!). It was the first time the colloquial term Mauer (wall) had been used in this context.
Structure and adjacent areas
The Berlin Wall was more than 140 kilometres (87 mi) long. In June 1962, a second, parallel fence, also known as a "hinterland" wall (inner wall), was built some 100 metres (110 yd) farther into East German territory. The houses contained between the wall and fences were razed and the inhabitants relocated, thus establishing what later became known as the death strip. The …
Official crossings and usage
There were nine border crossings between East and West Berlin. These allowed visits by West Berliners, other West Germans, Western foreigners and Allied personnel into East Berlin, as well as visits by GDR citizens and citizens of other socialist countries into West Berlin, provided that they held the necessary permits. These crossings were restricted according to which nationality was al…
Concerts by Western artists and growing anti-Wall sentiment
On 6 June 1987, David Bowie, who earlier for several years lived and recorded in West Berlin, played a concert close to the Wall. This was attended by thousands of Eastern concertgoers across the Wall, followed by violent rioting in East Berlin. According to Tobias Ruther, these protests in East Berlin were the first in the sequence of riots that led to those of November 1989. Although other factors were probably more influential in the fall of the Wall, upon his death in 20…
Comments by politicians
On 26 June 1963, 22 months after the erection of the Berlin Wall, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin. Speaking from a platform erected on the steps of Rathaus Schöneberg for an audience of 450,000 and straying from the prepared script, he declared in his Ich bin ein Berliner speech the support of the United States for West Germany and the people of West Berlin in particular: