Exploring Berlin: A Journey Through 1945-1990 History

1. Berlin 1945-1990

2. The History of Berlin: 1945-1990 Klickehier! • Why should you learn about the history of Berlin? • to gain an appreciation of the German culture and people, • to better understand our own history and its relation to Germany and • because German history is fascinating!

3. Einleitung Rückwärts Vorwärts Vorwärts • To navigate this presentation, you will need to use the buttons below: This button will take you back to a previous page or main topic page. This button will take you onto the next page or a new topic in the presentation. This button will pop up an English translation of the word and also plays an audio recording. Click on the icon once to open the box; click on it again to close it. Click on the audio icon in the box to listen to the recording. It works!

4. Geistesblitz Vorwärts • When you think of Berlin from 1945 to 1990, what comes to mind? • What to these words or phrases mean to you? • Do you recognize the these famous persons? Why are they important for this time period?

5. Kapiteln • List of sections. • Timeline: This section outlines historical events in Berlin’s history from 1945-1990. • The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall: This sections discusses why the Berlin Wall was built and it’s consequences. • Life behind the Wall: This section will talk about daily life for East and West Berliner. • Glossary: This index provides English definitions of all the German words, as well as a review activity to help you practice using the words. • Click on any topic to get started! VielSpaß und vielGlück! der Berliner: a person from Berlin

6. Rückwärts Vorwärts Timeline • In this section you will... • experience German history first hand! • be guided through the years with this sidebar. • Each year features... • pictures and or embedded videos. You can make the pictures larger by clicking on them. You can make them smaller by clicking again. • an Ampelmann. You can click on this little green man to learn some interesting facts about people or events during the time. • To navigate through this section... • click on button to go chronologically through Germany's history, or • click on any year in the sidebar to skip around Hallo! Ichheiβe Ampelmann!

7. Rückwärts Vorwärts Occupation of Germany • Following WWII Germany was occupied by the Allies – the USA, Great Britain and France – and the Soviets. • Both Germany and Berlin were divided into four occupation zones (see map). • The Allies and Soviets disbanded the German military forces and dissolved the Nazi regime.

8. Rückwärts Vorwärts Establishment of FRG &DDR • In the four years following the war, Germany was kept as four occupied zones. • American, English and French troops eventually withdrew from Germany, allowing Western Germany to establish their own country: die BundesrepublikDeutschland (BRD). However, American troops remained in Berlin. • Shortly thereafter, the Soviets established a country in Eastern Germany: die Deutsche DemokratisckeRepublik (DDR). Their troops remained in both Eastern Germany and Berlin. The first Chancellor of Germany was Konrad Adenauer, 1949-1963. He founded the political party the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The first and only President was Wilhelm Pieck, 1949-1960. The first Chairman was Walter Ulbricht, 1960-1971.

9. Rückwärts Vorwärts Uprising on 17.June • On June 17 workers in the GDR were so unhappy with working conditions that they took to the streets. • The East German government in an attempt to stop the strike, sent tanks and soldiers to stop the people. This is the most famous picture from the 17.June.1953. It shows two young men throwing stones at the tanks it an attempt to stop them.

10. Rückwärts Vorwärts GDR becomes a sovereign state • Up until 1955 the GDR was controlled by the USSR. • Although the East German government was in power, they really had no powers. • Before giving over power, the Soviets had established a new political party – die SozialistischeEinheitsparteiDeutschlands (SED) – which became the controlling power in East Germany. • There were other parties, but none were able to make decisions or join the parliament like the SED. This party was created from a merging of the KDP and SPD – the communist and socialist parties of the Weimar Republic. This was the most powerful party of the GDR.

11. Rückwärts Vorwärts Berlin Wall is built • To stop the mass amounts of emigration from Eastern Europe and Germany into Western Europe and Germany, the East German government built the Berlin Wall. • It was literally built overnight – on the night of August 13 and 14, the government sent out soldiers and workers to build a wall separating the two Berlins. • This wall became a symbol of repression and division throughout the world.

12. Rückwärts Vorwärts Confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie When President Kennedy said “Ich bin ein Berliner” he thought he was saying, “I am a Berliner/I am from Berlin,” but what he really said was “I am a doughnut.” If he had said “Ich bin Berliner” he would have been right! Remember, German does not put the article “ein” before a profession or any predicate nouns. For example: “Ich bin Hamburger” means “I am from Hamburg” but “Ich bin ein Hamburger” means “I am a hamburger.” • West German and Americans were upset with the turn of events. They had hoped for a united Germany. • President John F. Kennedy asked American troops stationed in West Berlin to go to where the wall was being built, in order to ask the Soviets to stop. • This led to a tense six-day standoff between American and Soviet tanks. Eventually, the Americans stood down and the wall was completed. President JFK at the Berlin Wall

13. Rückwärts Vorwärts Berlin Wall falls • On November 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall finally came down. • For the first time in almost 20 years East Berliner could finally leave the East and visit family in the West. • The GDR was however, yet not dissolved. It remained for another five months. November 9th is known as der Schicksalstag or Day of Fate in Germany. Some very important events have occurred on this day. Events that changed the course of German history. For example: • 1848: The execution of Robert Blum after the Vienna Revolts. This marked the end of revolt against the monarchies in German states. • 1918: Within a few hours Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates his throne, the German Empire is dissolved, Philip Schneidemann proclaimed a Democratic Republic and Karl Liebknecht proclaimed a Socialist Republic. This events set up what was to become the Weimar Republic. • ___ • 1923: The Beer Hall Putsch led by Hilter occurs, making the Nazi party a leading and powerful political power in Germany. • 1938: The Nazi party enacts Kristallnacht or Night of Broken Glass, destroying synagogues and Jewish businesses throughout Germany and killing more than 1.300 Jews. This marks the official and open persecution of Jews in the Third Reich. • 1989: The fall of the Berlin Wall. President Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate Klickehier! Klickehier!

14. Rückwärts Vorwärts German Reunification • Five months after the fall of the Berlin Wall the DDR is officially dissolved and the two Germanys are reunited. • In 2010 Germany celebrated 20 years of unification.

15. Rückwärts Timeline Assessment • Now it's time to see what you learned! Click on the link to take a short quiz. When you’ve finished, return to the main page by clicking • file:///C:/Users/Nicole/Documents/My%20Quiz/Projects/Berliner%20Geschichte/quiz.html

16. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Rückwärts Vorwärts • In this section you will: • learn about events leading up to the construction of the Berlin Wall • learn about the consequences of building the Berlin Wall for Germany and German people • learn new German vocabulary related to die Berliner Mauer die Berliner Mauer: the Berlin Wall

17. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • die Berliner Mauer – Facts • die Berliner Mauerwas built in August 1961. • It stretched for 46 km (or around 30 miles) – that’s about 1/3 of the Stadtgrenze! • Along the wall there were 116 Wachtürme, 450.000 square meters (or 1.5 million square feet) of Todesstreifen and 100.000 Soldaten and Offiziere. • 239 persons died while fleeing. die Grenze: border die Todesstreife: barbed wire der Wachturm: watch tower der Soldat: soldier der Offizier: officier

18. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • die Berliner Mauer – What caused it to be built? • Although die Berliner Mauerwasn’t gebaut until 1961, the plans to build were lain in 1945 • Remember, in 1949 West Germany or die Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD) and East Germany or die Deutsche DemokratischeRepublik (DDR) had been gegründet. bauen: to build die Bundesrepublik Deutschland: the Federal Republic of Germany die Deutsche DemokratischeRepublik: the German Democratic Republic gründen: to found, establish

19. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts The Marshall Plan was a loan the U.S. government provided European countries to help them rebuild their cities and repay their war debts. • die Berliner Mauer – What caused it to be built? • Thanks to the , business prospered in die Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD). • Unfortunately, business was not as successful in die Deutsche DemokratischeRepublik (DDR). Added to that was the political oppression – everyone was required to be a Sozialist. • It was so bad that between 1949 and 1961 3.1 million people flüchteten from die DDR. Marshall Plan der Sozialist: person who is a socialist flüchten: to flee, escape

20. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • die Berliner Mauer – What caused it to be built? • Tensions were not only high in Germany, but between the Americans and Sowjeten as well. • Some people view the eventual Bau der Berliner Mauer as part of the political conflict (i.e. the Cold War) between the USA and Soviet Russia – not between Eastern and Western Germany. der Sowjet: the Soviet

21. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts sperren: to block off • die Berliner Mauer – What caused it to be built? • Starting in 1952 die DDR sperrt die Grenzebetween East and West – but the border was not closed off in Berlin. • This is created a Gesetzeslückefor Eastern Germans – they flüchteten from the East through Berlin. • Eastern German officials were afraid of a “Brain Drain” • 50.000 East Berliner were working in West Berlin • The East German government did not want the West to have their workers or ideas. • East Germany tried to put a stop to this by: • 1956 – eliminating all travel to the West. • 1957 – implementing a new passport law, which restricted refugees from leaving the East. die Gesetzslücke: the loophole

22. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • die Berliner Mauer – When and how was it finally built? • By July 1961 over 207.000 people had emigrated through Eastern Germany. • Significant lack of farmers, doctors and transportation workers; verge of economic collapse. • East Berlin had to put a stop to the mass amounts of emigration. And so, on the night between August 13 and 14 the wall was built. • Between 1961 and 1989 only 5.000 persons left actually crossed the wall. “Niemand hate den Absicht, eineMauerzubauen.” – Walter Ulbricht, 1961. Klickehier!

23. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • die Berliner Mauer – What happened after it was built? • Republikflucht or fleeing from the East was considered a criminal offense, punishable by imprisonment and/or fines. • Soldaten were ordered to shoot to kill; this is why 239 people died attempting to escape. • Some famous defectors include: • Condrad Schumann in 1961 • At age 19 he was one of the first guards on the Berlin Wall. • This photo of him is one of the most famous photos of defection (see next page). • Chris Gueffroy in 1989 • He was the last person to be shot and killed attempting to escape. He died only a few months before der Fall der Berliner Mauer. • He was actually the second-to-last person to die, while attempting • to escape.

24. Condrad Schumann jumping over the newly built wall. Vorwärts East Berliner constructing what would become the Wall. Klickehier! Chris Gueffroy, the last person to be shot and killed attempting to escape over the Wall. East Berliner stopping at a memorial for a person killed attempting to climb over the Wall. An elderly woman escaping from her window. Her building was one of the many surrounded by the Wall.

25. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Vorwärts • Do you want to learn more about the wall? Visit these sites! • http://www.die-berliner-mauer.de/ • http://www.berlin.de/tourismus/ • http://www.berlinermaueronline.de/

26. The Hows and Whys of the Berlin Wall Rückwärts • Follow the link to take a short vocabulary quiz. When you’ve finished return to the main page by clicking • file:///C:/Users/Nicole/Documents/My%20Quiz/Projects/Berliner%20Wortschatz/quiz.html

27. Rückwärts Vorwärts Life Behind the Wall • In this section you will... • become familiar with what life in East and West Berlin was like and • be able to describe differences between the two.

28. Vorwärts Geistesblitz • Take a minute or two to think about the following questions. Maybe write down a few ideas that you have. • What do you think life in East Berlin was like? • How might it have differed from West Berlin? • Could it really have been so different?

29. Vorwärts Life Behind the Wall • Below is a list of differences between the two Berlins. Click on each one to learn a little bit more about the differences: • Politics • Food & drink • Clothing • Cars • Television • After you have read about the differences, click on • to move on to the next activity.

30. Rückwärts Politik • Ost • This was a socialist state. • The official party was the SozialistischeEinheitsparteiDeutschlands (SED). • There were elections, but these were not free. They were controlled by the SED. • West • This was a democratic state. • There was no official party, instead like in modern Germany there were coalitions and majority parties, but no one single controlling party. • There were free elections.

31. Ost Food and drink produced in the west or USA were not sold in the East. People only bought products from Eastern Germany or the Soviet bloc. Rückwärts Lebensmitteln • West • This was a free economy. • People could buy products from anywhere in the world. • There was more variety to choose from.

32. Ost Because East Berliner could only purchase products from the East, there was a sort of one-size-fits-all policy. They reflected practicality and standardization. East Berlin clothes were not military related. Rückwärts Klamotten • West • The West Berliner were more free in their choice of clothes. • They could follow fashion trends, like hippie (60s), disco (70s) and punk (80s).

33. Ost Only one car was available in the East: Trabantor Trabi. People had to wait four years to get a Trabant– and wasn’t a very good car. Rückwärts Autos • West • German cars are world renowned for their engineering and style. • These include: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen. Hi! My name is Ampelmann! I originally come from East Berlin. I was invented to help children know when to use crosswalks. Aren’t I cute? That’s part of my appeal – I was made that way on purpose. After reunification of Germany, West Berliner wanted to get rid of me, but I persevered! Today, I am one of the most well-known symbols of Berlin and can be found in souvenir shops all over the city. There’s also an Ampelfrau and roterAmpelmann.

34. Ost DeutscherFernsehfunk (DFF) was the state television broadcaster. It was used as a tool of propaganda to convince citizens of the benefits of Socialism. Broadcasts from Western Berlin were jammed. Rückwärts Fernsehen • West • National broadcasters then and now include: • ARD • ZDF • RTL • ProSieben • Each of these national broadcasters have local broadcasting as well. For example, NDR, Radio Bremen, etc.

35. Vorwärts Life Behind the Wall • Watch the clips from Goodbye Lenin! and relate them to what you have learned. What do you notice about life in East Berlin? What changes occur after the fall of the Wall? Write down at least five differences or interesting scenes!

36. Rückwärts Life Behind the Wall If you were a citizen of East Berlin, what would you write on the wall? Write down a phrase or words in the text box that would describe how you would have felt. After you finish, raise your hand, so that your instructor can view it.

37. Rückwärts Wörterbuch • der/die Berliner: a person from Berlin • Ich bin Berliner I am from Berlin. • Ich bin ein Berliner I am a jelly doughnut. • die Berliner Mauer: the Berlin Wall • die Bundesrepublik Deutschland: the Federal Republic of Germany • die Deutsche DemokratischeRepublik: the German Democratic Republic • die Gesetzeslücke: the loophole • der Offizier (-e): the officer • der Soldat (-n): the soldier • der Sowjet (-en): the Soviet • der Sozialist (-en): the Socialist (person) • die Todesstreife (-n): the barbed wire • der Wachturm (-ü e): the watch tower • bauen (baute, gebaut): to build, construct • flüchten(flüchtete, geflüchtet): to flee, escape • gründen(gründete, gegrüdet): to found, establish • sperren (sperrte, gesperrt): to block off