The Berlin Wall

1. The Berlin Wall Katherine Moone (Katja)

2. WWIJuly 28, 1914 – November 11, 1918Allied Victory • Keiser Wilhelm II exiled in Netherlands • Last German Emperor, King of Prussia • Post-war Weimer Republic weak, incompetent • Treaty of Versailles • June 28, 1919 • Germany surrendered territory, committed to $33 billion in reparations • Government unable to make payments • Reparations eventually paid over 39 years

3. The Great Depression 1923, France seized Ruhr Valley coal mines Germany printed money without baking, paid miners to strike Inflation, already steep, skyrocketed 1929, conditions parallel United States Value decreased times a billion Pay in baskets, wheelbarrows Savings worthless Factories closed Unemployment Homeless Scarcity all around Farmers bankrupt Crops rotted

6. The National Socialist German Workers Party

7. “Give me ten years and you will not be able to recognize Germany.” – Adolf Hitler, 1933 • Germany desperate for stability, to be proud • Nazi party launched massive campaign • Propaganda portrayed Hitler as ideal patriot, Germans a “super race” • Hitler talented speaker • Promised prosperity, respect • January 30, 1933 • Chancellor Adolf Hitler • Communists and Jews blamed for economic collapse • Reichstag burned February 27, 1933 • Holocaust • Germany hosted 1936 Olympics

8. WWIISeptember 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945Allied Victory • September 1939 • Germany invaded Poland • Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxemburg, France • Summer 1940 • Italy German ally • Yugoslavia, Greece, North Africa • German air force bombed Britain • Summer 1941 • Germany attacks Soviet Union • Violated alliance

9. December 7, 1941 Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Germany pounded by Allied bombing raids for almost four years 1945, Allied soldiers on German soil April 16, 1945 United States allowed Soviet Union to seize Berlin May 8, 1945 Germany unconditional surrender Civilian and military deaths estimated 55 million

10. Berlin After WWII Ruins Telephone system destroyed, industrial plants stripped , cattle and crops seized, sewage leaks, subways flooded, no police or fire departments, makeshift hospitals Black market Food, soap, cigarettes November 11, 1945 Soviet War Memorial in Berlin 65’ soldier flanked by two T-34 battle tanks Guarded twenty-four hours a day for 45 years Allies remembered WWI United states sent care packages and supplies, rebuilt hospitals, and eradicated rats

12. Dividing Berlin • European Advisory Commission • United States, Britain, Soviet Union • Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin • Divided Berlin into three zones, one for each country • February 1945 • Yalta Conference(Crimea, Ukraine) • Britain and United States convince Soviet Union to divide Berlin into four zones • One for Britain, United States, Soviet Union, and France • Each zone administered by occupying country • Poland given to Russia • Germany owed $20 billion, half to Soviet Union

13. Dividing Berlin • April 12, 1945 • FDR died • Harry Truman • July 1945, Potsdam • Day after first successful atom bomb • Final decision German borders • Final eastern boundary never determined because no peace settlement was reached • Germany would never build military force again • Berlin 110 miles into eastern Soviet zone • Special territory occupied by all four powers • Division meant to be temporary • Germany would be united, vote to chose government • Last minute migration from east to west began immediately

14. Dividing Berlin – Problems • British zone controlled steel and coal, lacked food • United States and Soviet zones had food, lacked fuel • Soviets laid foundation for Communist state • Justified striping zone as reparation • Told East Germans they were victims of Hitler, an imperialist from the West • German Socialist Unity Party would solve problems • Western zones encouraged to find democratic self-government • Elections held in 1946 and 1947 established local governments and state legislatures • Tension made unity impossible

15. “An iron curtain has descended across the Continent” – Winston Churchill, 1946 • Truman Doctrine aids Greece and Turkey • United States aids European restoration • Truman, “America’s answer to the challenge facing the free world.” • 1948, Soviets attempt to restrict travel and force Allies from city • Allies plan to unite zones into West Germany • West German currency • Soviets issued East German currency, began blockade • June 26, 1948 • Berlin Air Lift

16. Gaps Between West and East West East Prices soared Housing shortage Intellectual and cultural restrictions Government censorship Deviation risked prison, fines, death • United States money • Restoration • Jobs created • Culture resumed

17. Gaps Between West and East West East October 7, 1949 German Democratic Republic (FDR) Dominated by Communist Socialist Unity Party (SED) Wilhelm Pieck first president East Berlin capital Constitution only good on paper Government chose candidates Voters appeared to demonstrate “approval” Participation often forced and exaggerated • May 23, 1949 • Western-occupied territories established Federal Republic of Germany • First national election since 1932 • September 15, 1949 • Konrad Adenauer first chancellor West Germany • Bonn capital until unity could be achieved • West Germany began to heal • Berlin considered, more or less, a hostage

18. 1953 Uprising • March 5, 1953 • Nikita Khrushchev inherits control of Soviet Union • June, 1953 • Crowds gather in Alexanderplatz, main square East Berlin • Mass demonstration became violent, sometimes aided by local police • Jails opened to free political prisoners • Walter Ulbricht called Soviet Union for help • Armed soldiers • 800 East German killed

19. The Wall of Shame • First seven months of 1961 • 200,000 fled East Berlin • Speculation about border restrictions • Ulbricht, “I am not aware of any such intention. Our building workers are busy erecting new houses. Nobody wants a wall.” • Ulbricht continued to gain power • Government kept wall a secret

20. Barbed Wire Sunday • August 13, 1961 • Train heading West stopped, passengers forced East on foot • All traffic stopped • Telephone lines between East and West cut • Barbed wire mounted to concrete posts along border • Western police controlled crowd to avoid violence • Soviet Union guarded • High pressure hoses, guns, tanks • Media coverage

21. Checkpoint Charlie • Main crossing point for American sector of West • October 7, 1961 • East German guards asked United States officials for passports • United States officials insisted they didn’t need passports • United States jeeps sent to escort officials • Soviet tanks arrive to block jeeps • 10 United States tanks faced 10 Soviet tanks for 16 hours • Stand off ended 10:30am next day

22. Checkpoint Charlie

23. Escape

24. Escape • Greatest number of escapes within first year • Varying degrees of planning • Desperate vs. calculated • Public trials to discourage escape • Life in prison or execution • Jumping common until Soviets evicted over 2,000 families living on border and barricaded exits • Climbing • Government banned rope and twine strong enough to hold the weight of human beings • Finished wall impossible to scale without being killed

25. Escape • Escape by tunnel filthy, dangerous • Escape by water typically under gunfire • Buoys marked underwater border • 9 year old boy escaped despite gunshot wounds • Largest escape, 28 people • Holes cut in barbed wire, one boy ran to West Berlin police and came back when safe

28. Political Boiling Points East West Prosperity Restoration and improvement Industry and technology evolved Rich, educated culture Chosen government • Low wages • Poor living conditions, quality of products • Starving, poorly educated culture • Dictatorship continued to restrict rights • Black Market

29. Political Boiling Points • East grudgingly cooperated with West • Permits Christmas 1963 • Limited telephone service 1971 • Quality of communication and cooperation varied with political climate • Kennedy visited West Berlin 1963 • Helsinki Final Accord, 1975 • Most East Germans not approved for permits • Espionage • Erich Honecker replaced Ulbricht

30. Political Boiling Points • 1964, Leonid Brezhnev replaced Khrushchev • Dissatisfaction in Soviet Union surged • May 1971, Erich Honecker replaced Ulbricht • 1981, Reagan United States president • Threat of WWIII • Vietnam • Soviet Union struggled to maintain control of territory • Soviet-bloc countries (Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland) gained political freedoms

31. The Fall • 1989, Hungary opened boarder • 40,000 East Germans took refuge Western Embassies • Czechoslovakia opened border • Thousands more East Germans flee • Evening of November 9, 1989 • Rumblings about Wall opening • East and West Germans gather • The Wall comes down • Celebration all around

32. Reunification • Social and economic tension between East and West • “Two plus fours talks,” 1990 • East German marks converted to West German marks • All-German elections • Germany welcomed to NATO • Limited military, allow Soviets gradual withdrawal • No nuclear weapons • October 3, 1990 • 12:00am, flag raised in front of Reichstag building

33. Remembering • Psychological divisions took time to disappear • Some East Germans bizarrely nostalgic • Others recall difficulties of coping with lost freedoms • Generation 25 represents Germany’s future without the Wall • Germany currently strong economy • Berlin currently innovative, richly cultured city • Some concern over humor associated with today’s tourist industry • Checkpoint Charlie photos • T-shirts featuring “fraternal kiss”

35. Discussions – Debates • Historically, walls are a sign of failures and/or a last line of defense • Parallels Great Wall of China, proposed Mexican border Walls • Chosen culture vs. dictatorship • Debates about the significance of certain events continue to this day • Globalization a major factor leading up to the fall • Launched political, social, psychological debates and theories • How should this event be remembered?

36. Works Cited Epler, Doris M. The Berlin Wall: How It Rose and Why It Fell. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook, 1992. Print. Langerbein, Helmut. “Great Blunders?: The Great Wall of China, the Berlin Wall, and the Proposed United States/Mexico Border Fence.” History Teacher 43.1 (2009): 9-29. Academic Search Complete. Web 16 Sept. 2015. Millington, Richard. "The Fall Of The Berlin Wall." History Today 64.11 (2014): 7. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Sept. 2015. Váli, Ferenc A. The Quest for a United Germany. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins, 1967. Print.