Imagine waking up to find your street has been sliced in half with barbed wire.
Your grandmother lives on the other side. You won’t see her again for 28 years.
This happened to 3 million Berliners today in 1961...but why?
Here’s the story the Berlin Wall 🧵👇🏼
Your grandmother lives on the other side. You won’t see her again for 28 years.
This happened to 3 million Berliners today in 1961...but why?
Here’s the story the Berlin Wall 🧵👇🏼
After World War II ended in 1945, the victorious Allies divided Germany into four zones.
Each zone was controlled by one country…America, Soviet Union, Britain, and France.
Each zone was controlled by one country…America, Soviet Union, Britain, and France.
Berlin was also split into four sectors, but the entire city was located 200 miles inside the Soviet zone of Germany.
The Allie’s sectors were like islands of Western control surrounded completely by Soviet territory.
The Allie’s sectors were like islands of Western control surrounded completely by Soviet territory.
In 1948, the Soviets tried to force out the Western powers by blocking all roads and railways into West Berlin, which cut off all food and supplies.
The Allies refused to abandon West Berlin and instead flew in supplies by plane for nearly a year, keeping the 2.5 million residents alive.
By 1949, the Western zones of Germany merged to form democratic West Germany, while the Soviet zone became communist East Germany.
Berlin also remained split between the two countries. It was a hole in the Iron Curtain where people could freely cross between East and West.
Berlin also remained split between the two countries. It was a hole in the Iron Curtain where people could freely cross between East and West.
Between 1949 and 1961, approximately 2.7 million East Germans escaped communism by simply taking the subway or walking from East Berlin to West Berlin.
By summer 1961, over 1,000 people were fleeing daily.
East Germany lost 20% of its population, mostly young professionals, which devastated Communist Germany’s economy.
East Germany lost 20% of its population, mostly young professionals, which devastated Communist Germany’s economy.
East German leader Walter Ulbricht finally got Soviet permission to seal the border after President Kennedy appeared weak at their June 1961 Vienna summit.
Today in 1961, East Germany secretly deployed 38,400 troops who installed 27 miles of barbed wire overnight while Berlin slept.
That evolved into 12 foot concrete walls backed by a “death strip” with watchtowers, attack dogs, and guards ordered to shoot on sight.
That evolved into 12 foot concrete walls backed by a “death strip” with watchtowers, attack dogs, and guards ordered to shoot on sight.
East Berlin became a surveillance state where the secret police (Stasi) employed one spy for every six citizens to monitor the population.
West Berlin, though surrounded by communist territory, received $50 billion in subsidies to survive.
Three million people were separated from their families overnight, with many never reuniting during the walls 28 year existence.
Three million people were separated from their families overnight, with many never reuniting during the walls 28 year existence.
While the wall was up, about 5,000 people attempted escape with at least 140 deaths.
Methods varied from tunnels to even hot air balloons.
Methods varied from tunnels to even hot air balloons.
President Kennedy’s famous 1963 “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech declared American solidarity with divided Berlin.
The wall was the defining symbol of the Cold War.
The wall was the defining symbol of the Cold War.
The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, when East Germany’s Communist government collapsed.
The citizens of Berlin finally demolished what had divided their city for 28 years.
The citizens of Berlin finally demolished what had divided their city for 28 years.
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