Berlin Wall

1
Berlin Wall
2
Introduction

• When and Why
• The Berlin Wall and its crossing points
• The fall of the Berlin Wall
• Consequences
• Facts and Figures

3
When and Why

• In 1949 the French, British and American zones
  amalgamated to become the Federal Republic of
  Germany
• The Soviet zone became the German Democratic
  Republic GDR
• By July 1961 30,000 East German were fleeing to
  the west each month and the survival of East
  Germany was threatened
• The solution was to build the Berlin Wall.
  Construction began on 13 August 1961

4
The Berlin Wall and its crossing points

• There were twelve crossing points from East to
  
• West but only two were available to non-
• Germans
• Tourists from abroad, diplomats and military
• personnel were only allowed into East Berlin at
  
• one crossing point Berlin Friedrichstarsse
• This became known as Checkpoint Charlie
• The two other main crossing points were
  Helmstedt - Checkpoint Alpha
• Dreilinden - Checkpoint Bravo

5
The Berlin Wall and its crossing points
6
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
On August 23 1989 Hungary - a communist country
opened its borders with Austria During
September 1989, 13,000 East German tourists who
were in Hungary escaped into Austria The East
German government decided to allow East Berliners
to apply for a travel visa to visit West
Germany. On November 9 1989 the East German
Minister of Propaganda Günter Schabowski,
announced this arrangement at a press conference.
He was asked when this would come into effect and
he replied As far as I know immediately, right
now.
7
Consequences
The Berlin Wall divided many families Many East
Berliners were unable to commute to their jobs in
the West West Berliners demonstrated against the
Wall The East German government claimed the wall
was an anti-fascist protection barrier During
the walls existence there were around 5000
successful escapes into West Berlin Varying
reports claim that either 192 or 239 people were
killed trying to cross the wall and many more
were injured.
8
Facts and Figures
Total length around West Berlin 155km
91 miles Border between East and West Berlin
43.1 km 27 miles Number of watch
towers 302 Number of bunkers
20 Concrete wall height 3.6m
11.81ft Anti tank trenches 105.5km
65 miles