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Construction began on The Berlin Wall early in the morning of Sunday, August 13, 1961. It was a desperate – and effective - move by the GDR (German Democratic Republic) to stop East Berliners escaping from the Soviet-controlled East German state into the West of the city, which was then occupied by the Americans, British and French.
Berlin's unique situation as a city half-controlled by Western forces, in the middle of the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany, made it a focal point for tensions between the Allies and the Soviets and a place where conflicting ideologies were enforced side-by-side. However, as more and more people in the Soviet-controlled East grew disillusioned with communism and the increasingly oppressive economic and political conditions, an increasing number began defecting to the West. By 1961 an estimated 1,500 people a day were fleeing to the West, damaging both the credibility and - more importantly - the workforce of the GDR. Soon rumours began to spread about a wall, and it wasn’t long after that those rumours were made a concrete reality.
In a masterfully-planned operation, spanning just 24 hours, the streets of Berlin were torn up, barricades of paving stones were erected, tanks were gathered at crucial places and subways and local railway services were interrupted, so that within a day the West of Berlin was completely sealed off from the East. As of that same day inhabitants of East Berlin and the GDR were no longer allowed to enter the West of the city (including the 60,000 who had been commuters). In response to international criticism that such drastic measures inevitably drew, the GDR claimed that the barricade had been raised as an ‘anti-fascist protection wall’, and that they had moved to prevent a third world war.
The version of the ‘Wall’ that started life in 1961, was in fact not a wall but a 96 miles barbed wire fence. However, after this incarnation proved too easy to scale, work started in 1962 on a second fence, parallel to the first but up to 100 yards further in. The area in between the two fences was demolished to create an empty space, which became widely known as "death strip" as it was here that many would-be escapers met their doom. The strip was covered with raked gravel, making it easy to spot footprints, it offered no cover, was mined and booby-trapped with tripwires and, most importantly, it offered a clear field of fire to the armed guards – who were instructed to shoot on sight.
Later on even these measures were deemed insufficient and a concrete wall was added in 1965, which served until 1975 when the infamous ‘Stützwandelement UL 12.11’ was constructed. Known also as Grenzmauer 75 (Border Wall ’75), it was the final and most sophisticated version of the Wall. It was made from 45,000 separate sections of reinforced concrete, each 3.6 m high and 1.5 m wide, and topped with a smooth pipe, intended to make it more difficult for escapers to scale it. The Grenzmauer was reinforced by mesh fencing, signal fencing, anti-vehicle trenches, barbed wire, over 300 watchtowers, and thirty bunkers… Just to be on the safe side!
Despite the various security measures enforced, escape attempts were commonplace, especially in the years immediately following the erection of the wall, when there was still a fighting chance of making it across alive. Climbing was the obvious way to go and some 5,000 were said to have reached the other side. However in its thirty year history 100 people were shot dead, most famously the eighteen year old Peter Fetcher, who, after he was hit in the hip, was left to bleed to death in no-man’s land as the world’s media watched on.
As security tightened, more ‘creative’ escape plans became the order of the day. Tunnels and jumping from bordering buildings were two more successful ways of getting to the West, although the Wetzel and Strlzyck families eloped in true style - floating to salvation in a hot air balloon which they had fashioned from hundreds of small pieces of nylon cloth (after which it became almost impossible to buy cloth in the East). Rivalling them for the coveted prize of brave escapes, is the citizen who drove up to the checkpoint barrier and, winding down the roof of his convertible at the last minute, slipped underneath! Needless to say that a lower barrier was subsequently installed.
For those unable or unwilling to abscond from the East, life was bleak; and things only continued to get worse throughout the 70s and 80s as Communism and the USSR began to collapse. Honecker and the GDR resolutely stuck to their guns, speaking out in support of their regime; but when Hungary opened its borders in the summer of 1989, a flood of East Germans made their way West. Meanwhile student protests in Leipzeig put pressure on the government to lower the borders into West Berlin.
As the Iron Curtain cracked the fall of the wall looked inevitable. In the evening of November 9th, 1989 Gunter Schabowski, Minister of Propoganda, read out a note at a press conference announcing that the border would be opened for "private trips abroad”. The news spread like wildfire and the German people immediately gathered in their thousands by the checkpoints, demanding passage. There was some confusion as to what the official line was and the border guards, uncertain of what to do and ill-equipped to deal with the huge and unyielding mob, were forced to let them pass. The Wall had fallen.
The days that followed saw chaotic celebrations erupt over the country as Germany celebrated the political fall of the Wall - and in the following days and weeks hundreds of citizens began physically tearing down the concrete division. These events were the first steps to the reunification of Germany, which was formally concluded on October 3rd, 1990. Today remnants of the Berlin Wall can be found at Bernauer Strasse and in front of the Neiderkirchnerstrasse, the former Prussian Parliament and current Berlin Parliament. | | | |
 | | "thank you very much. i am from australia with a 50% sose assiment due. this website is very useful thank you very much =)" | kyle drysdale
United States
Jul.23.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "This website was good for our assignments. Thank you very much. We are currently in England doing research on the Berlin Wall. Thank you again we enjoyed this website very much so. ttfn! :)" | Caitlyn and Michellie
Australia
Jun.22.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "pretty coooool page.
but do you have any more info on the wrecking of the wall????" | Jaylee Stallan
United States
Jun.14.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Really helpful - well done " | David
United Kingdom
Jun.09.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "i never knew that there was a dead space. that's awful! im glad for the few that made it through, i bet it was the hardest thing they have ever done.
thank you for having this website to inform people. im only 17" | Callie
United States
May.27.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "it was great but needs to be more detailed" | jessie
United States
May.15.2009
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "good website,, awesome dudes, keep it upp" | mr. allison
United States
May.13.2009
rates this page 1/5 |
| | "Thanks! This helped me a lot with my English assignment(I don't know why it is about Germany when we're learning English!) But it would have been better if you put more pictures." | Rose
Mexico
May.11.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "It had lots of info and was fascinating" | Carolyn
United Kingdom
May.04.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "wow! great news i did'nt know about this. good job." | jingi
New Zealand
Apr.30.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "brilliant summary and overview!" | emily
United Kingdom
Apr.30.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "great site and served well as 1/3 sources for my term paper" | Andrew
United States
Apr.07.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "did eastern Germany or western Germany build the Berlin wall?" | john
Belgium
Apr.06.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "this has sooo much info, I will probably use this again.This was for an assignment.Thankx" | courtney
New Zealand
Apr.04.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "I was in west and east Berlin on 1985. I visited again for business on 2009. What a difference.
" | George
Greece
Apr.03.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I was there when the wall came down and still have a small piece of it!" | Peter
United Kingdom
Apr.01.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "The Berlin Wall was long.
Not as big as the one near Hong Kong
It kept the East outta the west
And put some trouble to rest.
For a while at least
Then one day in 1989
The wall was broken so people could dine. With their brothers and sisters
Without any resistors
Blocking their way.
Hooray!
" | Gr8 Poet & I Don't Even Know it ;)
United States
Mar.31.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "this helped sooo much! I'm doing a reasearch report on this and i think, no I know that I'm getting an "A"!!!
I LOVE THIS SITE!!!" | C.C.
United States
Mar.31.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Definitely needs citation resources, but other than that really great. My friends parents were in berlin on November 9th, 1989 when the wall was breached. The way they described the atmosphere of change, of university students partying next to their professors, of millionaires and hobos celebrating together, is amazing. They have yet to read this article, but i believe thay will agree with what it is saying. " | Locke
United States
Mar.29.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "thiz was a very helpful page i had to do a reprt on it im n d 6th grade so that iz y i luved it " | savanna j
United States
Mar.28.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "This was a very helpful website. I needed the lifespan of the wall, and I got it.
Good day to all." | Mini Mini Mini
United States
Mar.28.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "i thought this page was very helpful! it told me everything i needed to no! and just to tell u i got an a on my report!" | Awesome-est eva!!
United States
Mar.28.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "this website was ok i mean it can do betta it needs more pics though" | angela
United States
Mar.25.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "very good and helpful" | alexis
United States
Mar.25.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "This web page was fine, but it was not helpfull in learning about the election of 1820 in the U.S. of America " | uber
Belgium
Mar.24.2009
rates this page 1/5 |
| | "great info.dont listen to those other herbs that stay hatin son.word ninja
pce" | tony
United States
Mar.23.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "well, i'm doing a project on the Berlin wall, i have to have an up to scale model, but i need a good picture to do this. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!" | ellaizzy
United States
Mar.23.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "good information. would be more helpful if it gave information needed in citations, such as revision dates, authors, such and such" | Caroline
United States
Mar.23.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Thanks, this is really great." | G. Gordon
United States
Mar.20.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "it was nice for my report!!!" | daquez
United States
Mar.20.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "nice" | FARNEL
United States
Mar.19.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "This came in handy for a big research report I had to write! ^-^" | Deenie
United States
Mar.18.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "Great information really helped on my graduation project." | A'Ryan
United States
Mar.18.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "This place was great! Keep up the good work? (Why can't these people spell?)" | Salamander
United States
Mar.16.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "thank you!this website really helped me for my research paper and gave me many insights about berlin wall!god bless!!!!" | david
Philippines
Mar.15.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "loved the site helped with a big paper i had to write" | GamerGirl
United States
Mar.12.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "thanks this was great help for history class!" | Sam
United States
Mar.09.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "this was great for my history report thanks! :]" | Shelby
United States
Mar.06.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "this was really good and you know i read all the comments :}" | Manana
United States
Mar.05.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "This really helped e out a lot, thanks. You use lots of detail and make sure people know what your talking about =)" | Alex
United States
Mar.04.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "thanks, helped me a lot for my history class." | Kelsey
United States
Mar.04.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Great Site! It was great for my powerpoint!" | Sebby
India
Mar.03.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "great! i picked out 5 sourdes for my oral report and all i needed was in this one website. nice job! " | ryan flynn
United States
Mar.02.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "It was great!" | Kenny
United States
Mar.02.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Excellent information source for my AP World History report!" | Amy
United States
Feb.26.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "this website saved my life thank you whoever created this" | Fagit MaGee
Albania
Feb.25.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "really great article. very good information, and u helped me understand what happened a little more. u also had very good details. thanks for helping me" | someone
United States
Feb.24.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Good for my history project. Thanks. " | Michael
United States
Feb.22.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Thank yall so much!!! This really helped me with my work my prower point came out great... I hope... Any who thanks guys and don't listen to those guys who say "This is a bad websited" or something like that. Oh and listen to that one person who said not read all of those it doen't help any trust me I should know *Giggles*. Keep up the good work bye. : )" | xxAbbyxx
United States
Feb.20.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "This page really helped me.You guys are great!Thanks!" | Tyra
Georgia
Feb.19.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "thanks this was a big help for my project" | young jj
United States
Feb.19.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "do you know any page where I can see the prices of the museums in Berlin???? plis help me!!!!:)I'm doing a progect and I need this information
thank you so much!" | Mumi
Spain
Feb.18.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "pretty good i guess" |
United States
Feb.17.2009
rates this page 3/5
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| | "It was pretty cool I guess" | herr tarte
United States
Feb.17.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "This is a great website. It really helped me on my Berlin Wall speech." | Huela Handel
Italy
Feb.16.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "thanks soo much! seriously! i got alot of info fer my german project!" | maryyy
United States
Feb.13.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "this sight was great but i think you guys are ove reacting" | wow
United States
Feb.11.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "it was great! research paper here i come!" | RoberTITO
United States
Feb.09.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "amazing for my english project thankyou." | Quinton Foster
United States
Feb.06.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Thank you soo much!
This article really helped me! A lot of information and wonderful written. Just what i needed! " | LM
Norway
Feb.01.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "thanx was a great help" | hodge
South Africa
Jan.30.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "This tells alot about the Berlin wall but not WHY or by WHO. that is some of the things that i had to answer for my report and i had to go to a different site" | Mackenzie
United States
Jan.29.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "It REALLY helped me with my reserch paper." | Austin
United States
Jan.27.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "wow" | desy
United States
Jan.27.2009
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "i loved this i had a project to do about the berlin wall and since i read this i will never forget this and i got my paper in on time and then the teacher thought that i did a great job! GREAT SITE!!!;]" | burger
United States
Jan.20.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "this review is truly sensational! the text is exquisite and brings it all into conclusion remarkably. thank you" | James Lawlor
Algeria
Jan.05.2009
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Omg this article saved my project lol! Thanks for putting it up, good job :)" | Nickles
United States
Jan.04.2009
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "This page is pretty good. At first I was using a different website, which all the info organized in a way that made it easy to do my research project, but this website had some more interesting info that the other site didn't have. This site really helped me on my Berlin Wall project!" | ScOuTiE
United States
Dec.29.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "This was very intersesting! I Got my book report done by jusrt looking at this page. It was interesting all the spelling errors though! " | Tiffany
United States
Dec.27.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | ""very very nice article"" | j.Kemper
United States
Dec.24.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I was stationed in Germany from 1983 to 1985,but went back that same year to visit Berlin.I went through Checkpoint Charlie inti the east-wow, what an experience!I went back many times and was there to experience the wall comign down-I have pics of me on top jumping off of it with friends." | George
United States
Dec.23.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "THIS HELPED ME SOOO MUCH WITH MY POWERPOINT PROJECT ON THE BERLIN WALL I THINK MY TEACHER WILL BE IMPRESSED. THANKS! =)" | BLAIR
United States
Dec.18.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "i loved the site" | amanda
United States
Dec.17.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
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United States
Dec.17.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "this is so beautiful" | jashima beasley
United States
Dec.17.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
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