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The Berlin Wall (Ber liner Mauer)

The Berlin Wall (Ber liner Mauer). By Anne Mary (Anja) Camara. Erected by East German government / August of 1961. Separated East Berlin from West Berlin Divided for 28 years. The Wall. Why the Wall?. Closed border in 1952 Between 1942 and 1962, about 2.5

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The Berlin Wall (Ber liner Mauer)

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  1. The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer) By Anne Mary (Anja) Camara

  2. Erected by East German government / August of 1961. Separated East Berlin from West BerlinDivided for 28 years The Wall

  3. Why the Wall? • Closed border in 1952 • Between 1942 and 1962, about 2.5 million East Germans (skilled workers, intellectuals and professionals) fled to West Germany, threatening to destroy East Germany’s economy • Wall was erected because of the number of East Germans escaping to West Germany • West Germany was better off than East (Marshall Plan) • East Berlin was communist-lead

  4. Building of the Wall

  5. Building of the Wall • Built during a weekend where most Berliners slept while the East Germans began to close the border • East German troops installed barbed wire fences (original Wall) • Fences later replaced by concrete walls topped with barbed wire • The Wall running through the city center, which separated East and West Berlin from one another, was 43.1km (almost 27mi) long

  6. Security • Concrete wall, 12 feet high • Barbed wire • Hundreds of guard dogs • Randomly placed mines buried under the ground • 16 foot ditch to stop vehicles from attempting escape • Electric fences • “Death Strip” of barren land

  7. Checkpoint Charlie • President John F. Kennedy ordered checkpoints • Three checkpoints at different points in the wall • “Charlie” because of the American alphabet • Other walls were Alpha & Bravo • Most famous checkpoint

  8. Casualties • An estimated 940 people died trying to escape • A number of others died by jumping off of buildings or drowning • Most shocking failed attempt: 18 year old, Peter Fechter

  9. Fall of the Wall • Mass demonstrations against the government and the system in East Germany began at the end of September, until November 1989 • The government prepared a new law to lift travel restrictions, effective immediately • On November 9th, 1989, Gunter Schabowski announced “private trips” • This caused massive gatherings of citizens • Wall “woodpeckers” began tearing down parts of wall immediately • On November 10th and December 22nd, checkpoints were opened for pedestrians • Not until July 1st, 1990, did the East and West finally reunite

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