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BERLIN WALL- Broken, erected by the authorities of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) around West Berlin in August 1961. She completely surrounded the territory of the three Western (American, British and French) sectors of the old German capital and interrupted the free message between two parts of the city, divided from 1948.
Berlin crisis.
Before the construction of the wall, the border between the Western and eastern part of Berlin was opened. The dividing line with a length of 44.75 km (the total length of the boundary of Western Berlin and the GDR was 164 km) took place straight through the streets and houses, canals and waterways. Officially operated 81 street checkpoint, 13 transitions in the subway and in the city railway. In addition, there were hundreds of illegal paths. Daily, the border between both parts of the city was crossed for various reasons from 300 to 500 thousand people.
The construction of the Berlin Wall preceded a serious exacerbation of the political situation around Berlin. Both Military Political Block - NATO and the organization of the Warsaw Agreement (ATS) confirmed the irreconcilability of their positions in the "German issue". The Government of Western Germany, headed by Conrad by Adenauer, was put into effect in 1957 "Doctrine of Halstein", which provided for an automatic breaking of diplomatic relations with any country recognizing the GDR. It categorically rejected the proposals of the East German side to create a confederation of Germanic states, instead of holding the communal elections. In turn, the GDR authorities said in 1958 about their claims on sovereignty over Western Berlin on the grounds that he is "on the territory of the GDR." In November 1958, the head of the Soviet government Nikita Khrushchev accused Western powers in violating Potsdam agreements 1945. He announced the abolition Soviet Union international status Berlin and described the whole city (including its Western sectors) as the "capital of the GDR". The Soviet government proposed to turn the Western Berlin to the "demilitarized free city" and in an ultimative tone demanded from the United States, Great Britain and France to negotiate on this topic within six months ("Ultimatum Khrushchev"). This requirement was rejected by Western powers. Negotiations of their foreign ministers with the head of the USSR Foreign Ministry in Geneva in spring and in summer 1959 ended to no avail. After N. Khrushchev's visit to the United States in September 1959, Soviet ultimatum was postponed. But the parties continued to insist in previous positions. In August 1960, the Government of the GDR introduced restrictions on visits to citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany of East Berlin, referring to the need to stop the knowledge of the "revenge propaganda". In response, Western Germany refused to trade agreements between both parts of the country, which the GDR regarded as an "economic war". After long and difficult negotiations, the agreement was still put into action from January 1, 1961. But the crisis was not resolved. ATS leaders continued to demand neutralization and demilitarization of Western Berlin. In turn, NATO foreign ministers were confirmed in May 1961 to guarantee the stay of the Armed Forces of Western powers in the western part of the city and its "viability". West leaders declared that they would protect the "freedom of Western Berlin."
Both blocks and both German states have increased their armed forces and activated propaganda against the enemy. The GDR authorities complained about Western threats and maneuvers, "provocative" violations of the country's border (137 for May - July 1961), the activities of anti-communist groups. They accused Agents of the Federal Republic of Germany in the organization of dozens of acts of sabotage and arson. The great discontent of the leadership and the police of East Germany caused the impossibility of controlling the flows of people moving across the border.
The situation was aggravated in the summer of 1961. Hard course of the Eastern Hermann Leader Walter Ulbricht, economic policyaimed at "catching up and overtakening FRG" and the corresponding increase in production norms, economic difficulties, violent collectivization 1957-1960, foreign policy tension and more high level Women's watery in West Berlin encouraged thousands of GDR citizens to leave west. In just 1961, more than 207 thousand people left the country. Just for July 1961 more than 30 thousand eastern Germans fled from the country. These were most often young and qualified specialists. The outrageous authorities of East Germany accused Western Berlin and Germany in "trafficking in persons", "luring" personnel and attempts to disrupt their economic plans. They assured that the economy of Eastern Berlin annually loses 2.5 billion brands because of this.
In conditions of exacerbation of the situation around Berlin, the leaders of the OVD countries decided to close the border. Rumors about such plans were worn in the air in June 1961, but the leader of the GDR Walter Ulbricht then denied similar intentions. In fact, then they have not yet received the final consent from the USSR and other participants in the Eastern Block. From August 3 to 5, 1961, a meeting of the first secretaries of the ruling communist parties of the states of the ATS, at which Ulbricht insisted on the closure of the border in Berlin. This time he received support from the allies. On August 7, at a meeting of the Politburo of the Socialist United Party of Germany (SEPG - East German Communist Party, it was decided to close the border of the GDR with Western Berlin and Germany. On August 12, the corresponding decision was adopted by the Council of Ministers of the GDR. The Police of Eastern Berlin was presented in a state of complete readiness. At 1 o'clock in the morning, on August 13, 1961, the implementation of the Chinese Wall II project began. About 25 thousand members of militarized "combat groups" with GDR enterprises took the line of border with Western Berlin; Their actions covered parts of the Eastern Hermany army. The Soviet army was in a state of readiness.
Wall structure.
"The night came from 12 to August 13, 1961," the East German historians Hartmut and Ellen Mel said later. - The thermometer showed 13 degrees Celsius. The sky was cloudy, and blew a light breeze. Like every Saturday, most residents of the capital of the GDR late went to bed, hoping to sleep a little time on August 13. Up to 0 hours, this night in Berlin proceeded, as usual. But soon after midnight, the phone rang in many apartments, and the traffic movement was rapidly increased. The Functioners of the SEPG, the state apparatus and the economic departments were unexpectedly and urgently caused to the service. The huge mechanism quickly and accurately came into motion. At 1 hour 11 minutes universal German information Agency The statement of the states of the Warsaw Agreement was transferred to the world ... when the morning came on August 13, the border between the German Democratic Republic and Western Berlin was controlled. After noon, it was secured after noon. Eastern Germany's authorities closed throughput points, excavated and sealed border buildings and pulled a barbed wire along the border.
August 15, 1961 Politburo SEPG announced the beginning of the "second stage" to ensure the "safety of the border". Soldiers and construction workers under the protection of border guards began to build a wall of pre-prepared concrete blocks around Western Berlin. At this point, 19-year-old border guards Konrad Schumann jumped through a barbed wire bar and became the first GDR citizen who fled to the West after August 13. June 19, 1962 The construction of the second border wall began. The height of the wall, gradually surrounding the West Berlin, reached 6 meters. For anyone who could try to illegally go through the wall and thus got into a "strip of death", the GDR border guards were prescribed to open fire. August 17, 1962, when trying to move through the Berlin Wall, a 18-year-old builder from East Berlin Peter Fezter was shot dead. Since then, with similar circumstances, 92 people were killed; Many were injured.
The construction of the Berlin Wall did not mean the complete blockade of West Berlin, as it was in the late 1940s. In December 1963, an agreement was signed, which allowed residents of the western part of the city to visit Christmas and New Year His relatives in East Berlin. In 1968, the situation has deteriorated again: the GDR introduced a passport and visa regime for transit passage for the citizens of Germany and Westernoberly population. The passage through the territory of East Germans and officials of the West German government, as well as military personnel of the Federal Republic of Germany, was suspended.
Discharge in relations between both German states after coming to power in Germany in 1969 Governments Willie Brandt, which proclaimed the holding of "New Eastern Policy", made it possible to take the next step. September 3, 1971 United Kingdom, USSR, USA and France signed a four-sided agreement on Berlin. In December 1971, agreements were concluded between the GDR and West Berlin authorities that allowed Westernoberly one or several times a year to receive permission to enter and visit East Germany (with a total stay of up to 30 days a year). In addition, the entry permission could be provided in the case of urgent "family or humane motives." Effective transport links between Germany and Western Berlin guaranteed. Access to the city was carried out by air, 8 railway lines, 5 streets and 2 waterways. Nevertheless, the Berlin Wall continued to divide the city, passing through its most his center. It turned into a kind of europe split symbol on opposing military-political blocks. The wall was also one of the main attractions of Berlin. Any visitor to the city sought to see this building from gray and gloomy concrete, and in the western part of the city, tourists sold postcards with his image and the inscription: "The wall should be removed!"
Drop wall.
When in May 1989, under the influence of restructuring in the Soviet Union, the partner of the GDR in the Warsaw Agreement - Hungary destroyed the fortifications on the border with its Western neighbor Austria, the GDR leadership was not going to follow her. But soon it lost control over rapidly unfolding events. Thousands of GDR citizens reached out to other Eastern European countries in the hope of getting from there to West Germany. Already in August 1989, FRG diplomatic missions in Berlin, Budapest and Prague were forced to stop receiving visitors due to the influx of GDR residents who achieved entry into the West German state. Hundreds of Eastern Germans fled to the West through Hungary. When on September 11, 1989, the Hungarian government announced the opening of the borders, the Berlin Wall lost its meaning: during three days, the GDR left 15 thousand citizens through Hungary territory. The country began mass demonstrations with the requirement of civil rights and freedoms.
November 9, 1989 at 19 o'clock 34 minutes, speaking at a press conference, which was broadcast on television, the government representative GTR Güntter Shabovski announced new rules of departure and entry from the country. He spoke a heavy, state language, as if it were about some secondary technical business, such as repairing transport routes. According to accepted solutionsFrom the next day, citizens of the GDR could receive visas for immediate visiting West Berlin and Germany. Hundreds of thousands of Eastern Germans, without waiting for the appointed period, rushed in the evening on November 9 to the border. Border guards who did not receive orders tried to first push the crowd, used water, but then, yielding to mass pressure, were forced to open the border. Thousands of inhabitants of West Berlin came out from the east. What is happening resembled a people's holiday. The feeling of happiness and fraternity was washed away all state barriers and obstacles. Westernoberlins, in turn, began to move the border, breaking into the eastern part of the city. "... spotlights, licking, babysitting. The group of people has already broke into the border crossing corridor, to the first lattice barrier. Behind him - five embarrassed border guards, - recalled the witness of what was happening - Maria Maister from West Berlin. - From watchdogged, already surrounded by a crowd, look down the soldiers. Applause to each "Trabant" (approx. - Eastern Hermann car brand), each embarrassed approaching pedestrian group ... Curiosity drives us forward, but there is also fear that something is terrible can happen. Whether the border guards of the GDR are conscious now Violated? ... We go on ... The legs go, the mind warns. The discharge occurs only at the crossroads ... We are just in East Berlin, people help each other with coins on the phone. Persons laugh, the language refuses to obey: madness, madness. The light scoreboard shows the time: 0 hours 55 minutes, 6 degrees of heat. "Night from 9 to 10 November 1989. (Volkszeitung, 1989, 17 November. No. 47).
So the Berlin Wall fell under the pressure of the people. "This day we were waiting for almost 30 years! - It was stated in addressing the citizens of the GDR of the leading social movement of the country "New Forum". - Patients with a wall, we shook the grid cells. Young people grew with a dream one day to become free and find out the world. This dream will now come true: this is a holiday for all of us! ".
Over the next three days, we visited more than 3 million people. On December 22, 1989, the Brandenburg Gate was opened for the passage, through which the border was held between Eastern and Western Berlin. The Berlin Wall still stood, but only as a symbol of the recent past. It was broken, painted by numerous graffiti, drawings and inscriptions, Berliners and visitors to the city tried to take into memory pieces, shot down from the once mighty facility. In October 1990, the entry of the land of the former GDR in Germany, and the Berlin Wall was demolished for several months. Only small parts it is decided to maintain as a monument for subsequent generations.
The fall of the Berlin Wall joined not only one people together, but also families separated by boundaries. This event marked the unification of the nation. The slogans on the demonstrations spent said: "We are one people." The year of the fall of the Berlin Wall is considered to be the year began in a new life in Germany.
Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall, the start date of which - 1961, symbolized the ending " cold War" When erected, wire fences were stretched first, which were subsequently increased in a 5-meter concrete strengthening, complemented by watchdogs and barbed wire. The main purpose of the wall is the reduction of refugees from the GDR in (before that, 2 million people have already managed to move). The wall stretched several hundred kilometers. Frig and GDR indignation passed Western countriesBut no protests and rallies could affect the solution to establish a fencing.
28 years behind the fence
I stood a little more than a quarter of a century - 28 years. During this time, three generations were born. Of course, many were unhappy with such a position. People sought to new lives from which they separated the wall. One can only imagine that they have experienced hatred, contempt. Residents were sharpened, as if in a cage, and they tried to escape to the West of the country. However, according to official data, about 700 people were shot. And these are only documented cases. To date, you can also visit the Museum of the Berlin Wall, which keeps the story about how to be accustomed to people to overcome it. For example, one child was literally ejected with his parents through the fence. One family was driving with a balloon.
Drops of the Berlin Wall - 1989
Fal communist mode GDR. The fall of the Berlin Wall followed him, the date of this loud incident is 1989, November 9. These events immediately entailed the reaction of people. And joyful Berliners began to smash the wall. In very short time most of Slices became souvenirs. November 9 is also called the "holiday of all Germans." The fall of the Berlin Wall has become one of the loudest events of the twentieth century and perceived as a sign. In the same 1989, no one else knew what the course of events was prepared by fate. (The leader of the GDR) at the beginning of the year argued that the wall would stand at least half a century, and even the century. The view that she is uncompresented, dominated both among the ruling circles and between ordinary residents. However, May of the same year showed the opposite.
The fall of the Berlin Wall - as it was
Hungary removed her "wall" with Austria, and therefore it did not make sense in the Berlin wall. According to eyewitnesses, even a few hours before the fall, many have not yet suspected what will happen. A huge mass of the people, when the news had reached the simplification of the bandwidth, moved to the wall. On duty border guards who did not have an order of accurate actions in this situation, an attempt was attempted to push people. But the head of the residents was so great that they had nothing left how to open the border. On this day, thousands of Western Berliners emerged towards East to meet them and congratulate with "liberation". November 9 really was a people's holiday.
15 anniversary from the date of destruction
In 2004, marking the 15th anniversary of the destruction of the symbol of the Cold War, a large-scale ceremony was held in the German capital, dedicated to the opening of the monument to the Berlin Wall. It is a restored part of the former fence, but now its length is made up of only a few hundred meters. The monument is placed where there was previously the found of the checkpoint called "Charlie", which served as the main connection between the two parts of the city. Here you can see 1065 crosses installed as a memory of those who were killed from 1961 to 1989 for an attempt to escape from the eastern part of Germany. However, there is no accurate information about the number of killed, since different resources report completely different data.
25 anniversary
On November 9, in 2014, residents of Germany celebrated the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Festive event He was visited by the President of Germany and Chancellor Angela Merkel. Foreign guests visited him, among them - Mikhail Gorbachev (former President of the USSR). On the same day, a concert and a solemn meeting took place in the "Concerthaus" hall, which also attended the president and federal chancellor. Mikhail Gorbachev expressed his opinion on the events held, saying that Berlin says goodbye to the wall, because ahead new life and history. On the occasion of the holiday, an installation was installed from 6880 balls that are glowing. In the evening, they filled with gel, flew into the night darkness, being a symbol of the destruction of obstacles and separation.
Reaction of Europe
The fall of the Berlin Wall, became an event that the whole world spoke. A large number of Historians argue that the country would have come to unity if in the late 80s, as it happened, means a little later. But this process was inevitable. Prior to that, long negotiations took place. By the way, Mikhail Gorbachev also played his role, who advocated the unity of Germany (for which he was honored Nobel Prize world). Although some evaluated these events from another point of view - as a loss of geopolitical influence. Despite this, Moscow has demonstrated that it can be entrusted with negotiations concerning complex and fairly fundamental issues. It is worth noting that some European leaders were against the reunification of Germany, for example, Margaret Thatcher (Premier Britain) and (President of France). Germany in their eyes was a political and economic competitor, as well as aggressor and military opponent. They were concerned about the reunification of the German people, and Margaret Thatcher even tried to convince Mikhail Gorbachev to retreat from his position, but he was adamant. Some European leaders saw in Germany the future enemy and frankly feared him.
End of the Cold War?
After November, the wall still stood (it was not completely destroyed). And in the mid-nineties, it was decided to demolish her demolition. Only a small "segment" was abandoned in memory of the past. The world community perceived the day of the fall of the Berlin Wall as a connection not only in Germany. And all of Europe.
The fall of the Berlin Wall Putin, while still as an employee of the KGB representative office in the GDR, supported, as well as the unification of Germany. He also starred in a documentary film dedicated to this event, whose premiere could be seen at the 20th anniversary of the reunification of the German people. By the way, it was he who persuaded the participants of the demonstration not to smash the building of the KGB representation. For the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Wall of Wall, Putin V. V. was not invited (at the 20th anniversary at the celebration, Medvedev D. A.) - after the "Ukrainian events", many world leaders, like Angela Merkel, who spent as a hostess of the meeting, counted his presence inappropriate.
The fall of the Berlin Wall has become a good sign for the whole world. However, unfortunately, history shows that fraternal peoples can be fenced from each other and without tangible walls. Cold Wars exist between states and in the 21st century.
The "Cold War", which began after the end of the bloodshed in the history of World War II, was a long conflict between the USSR on the one hand and Europe and the United States on the other. Western politicians considered the communist system the most dangerous of possible opponents, and the presence of nuclear weapons in both sides only strengthened tensions.
After graduation, the second world winners were divided among themselves the territory of Germany. The Soviet Union got five provinces, of which in 1949 the German Democratic Republic was formed. Eastern Berlin became the capital of the new state, according to the terms of the Yalta treaty, also in the zone of influence of the USSR. The conflict between East and West, as well as the uncontrolled migration of residents in Western Berlin, led to the fact that in 1961 the countries of the Warsaw Agreement (NATO Socialist Alternative) came to a decision about the need to build a concrete structure, distinguishing the western and eastern part of the city.
Border in the center of Berlin
In the shortest possible time after deciding on the closure of the border, the construction project was carried out. The total length of the Berlin Wall was over 150 kilometers, although in Berlin itself there were only about 40 kilometers. To protect the border, in addition to the directly three-meter wall, wire fences were used, electricity, Earth scans, anti-tank strengthening, guarding rods and even track tracks. All these security measures were used only on the eastern side of the wall - in Western Berlin, any resident of the city could approach her.
The redemption of the Eastern Germans cost the Government of Germany a total of almost three billion US dollars.
The wall not only divided the city into two parts, and quite ridiculous (the metro station was closed, in the houses had toasting windows that were western side), but also became a symbol of the confrontation of NATO and the countries of the Warsaw Treaty. Until the destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1990, many attempts were made to an illegal crossing of the border, including with the help of a downtrod, bulldozer, deltaplan and a balloon. A total of five thousand successful shoots were made from the GDR in Germany. In addition, about two hundred and fifty thousand people were released for money.
According to the official point of view, the GDR, for all the years of the walls of the wall, 125 people were killed, trying to cross the border.
In 1989, the beginning of the restructuring was announced in the USSR, which prompted the neighboring GDR Hungary to open the border with Austria. The existence of the Berlin Wall was meaningless, since everyone who wishes to get to the West could do it through Hungary. After some time, the Government of the GDR under pressure from the public was forced to provide its citizens with free access abroad, and in 1990, the useless Berlin Wall was already demolished. However, several of her fragments remained as a memorial complex.
Older people, well-remembering events, the so-called, "perestroika", the collapse of the Soviet Union and rapprochement with the West, probably know the famous Berlin Wall. Her destruction has become a real symbol of those events, their visible embodiment. Berlin Wall, the history of the creation and destruction of this object can tell a lot about the turbulent European changes in the middle and the end of the XX century.
Historical context
It is impossible to understand the history of the Berlin Wall without updating the historical background in memory, which led to its occurrence. As you know, the second world War Europe ended in the act of surrender of fascist Germany. The consequences of the war for this country were deplorable: Germany was divided into influence zones. The eastern part was controlled by the Soviet military civil administration, Western left under the control of the Allied Administration: USA, Great Britain and France.
After some time, two independent states arose on the basis of these zones of influence: Germany - in the West, with the capital in Bonn, and the GDR - in the East, with the capital in Berlin. Western Germany entered the "camp" of the United States, Eastern - turned out to be part of a socialist camp controlled by the Soviet Union. And since the cold war flared up between yesterday's allies, the two Germany turned out to be, in essence, in hostile organizations divided by ideological contradictions.
But even earlier, in the first post-war months, between the USSR and the Western Allies, a contract was signed, according to which Berlin - the pre-war capital of Germany was also shared on the zones of influence: Western and East. Accordingly, the western part of the city had to actually belong to Germany, and Eastern - GDR. And anything, if not for one important feature: The city of Berlin was deep inside the territory of the GDR!
That is, it turned out that the West Berlin turned out to be an enclave, a piece of Germany, from all sides by the territory of the "Soviet" East Germany. While the relationship between the USSR and the West was relatively good, the city continued to live ordinary life. People moved freely from one part to another, worked, went to visit. Everything has changed when the "Cold War" gained momentum.
Construction of the Berlin Wall
By the beginning of the 60s of the 20th century, it became obvious: the relationship of two Germany is hopelessly spoiled. The world stood before the threat of a new global WarThe voltage between the West and the USSR has grown. In addition, it became an obvious a huge difference in the pace economic Development two blocks. Simply put, the average man was clear: living in West Berlin is much more comfortable and more convenient than east. People rushed to West Berlin, additional NATO troops were transferred here. The city could become a "hot point" of Europe.
To stop such a development of events, the GDR authorities decided to overdo the city by the wall, which would have done the impossible all kinds of contacts of the inhabitants of the once uniform social Point. After careful preparation, consultations with allies and mandatory approval from the USSR on the last night of August 1961, the whole city was divided into two!
In the literature, you can often find words that the wall was built in one night. In fact this is not true. Of course, such a grandiose structure cannot be undertaken to such a short time. Only the main transport arteries connecting the night of the night transport arteries, connecting East and Western Berlin, unimportant for Berliners. Somewhere across the streets raised high concrete slabs, somewhere simply put a barbed wire barrier, in some places there were barbells with border guards.
The subway was stopped, the trains of which moved earlier between the two parts of the city. The amazed Berliners in the morning found that they would no longer be able to go to their work, study or just to visit friends, as they did before. Any attempts to penetrate Western Berlin were considered a violation of the state border and cruelly punished. That night, indeed, the city was divided into two parts.
And the wall itself, as an engineering structure, was built more than one year in several stages. Here you need to remember that the authorities had to not only separate the West Berlin from the Eastern, but also to protect it from all sides, because he turned out to be a "alien body" inside the territory of the GDR. As a result, the wall acquired the following parameters:
- 106 km of concrete fence, 3.5 meters high;
- almost 70 km of metal grid with barbed wire;
- 105.5 km of deep earth units;
- 128 km of signal fence, under electrical voltage.
And yet - a lot of watchdogs, anti-tank dots, firing points. We do not forget that the wall was considered not only as an obstacle to ordinary citizens, but also as a military-fortification structure, in case of an offensive of the NATO military group.
When the Berlin Wall was destroyed
All the time, while it existed, the wall remained a symbol of separation of two world systems. Attempts to overcome it did not stop. Historians have proven at least 125 cases of death of people when trying to move the wall. About 5 thousand attempts were crowned with success, and, among lucky, the soldiers of the GDR were dominated, designed to protect the wall from the transition by their own fellow citizens.
By the end of the 80s of the XX century in Eastern Europe So many ambitious changes have passed that the Berlin Wall looked full-time anachronism. Moreover, by that time, Hungary was already opened their borders with the western world, and the Germans were leaving about her in Germany in Germany. Western leaders pointed out Gorbachev on the need to dismantle the wall. The whole course of events was clearly shown: the days of the ugly structure were considered.
And it happened on the night from 9th to 10 October 1989! Another mass demonstration of the inhabitants of the two parts of Berlin ended in that the soldiers opened the barriers at the checkpoints and the human crowds hung towards each other, although the official opening of the checkpoints should be held in the morning of the next day. People did not want to wait, besides, everything that happened was filled with a special symbolism. Many television companies led the live broadcast of this unique event.
On the same night, enthusiasts began to destroy the wall. At first, the process was spontaneous, looked like amateur. Parts of the Berlin Wall stood some time, completely painted graffiti. People photographed near them, and filmed their stories of televisers. Subsequently, the wall was dismantled with the help of technology, but in some places her fragments remained as a memorial. The days when the Berlin Wall was destroyed, many historians consider the end of the Cold War in Europe.
November 9 - Day of the Drops of the Berlin Wall: Questions and Answers. What is the Berlin Wall when it was erected and when they demolished, and also that the Germans celebrate on November 9th.
When I started learning at school german, The Berlin Wall was not already 4 years (and by the end of study - 10 years). But we studied on the old Soviet textbooks, and in the texts about Berlin, of course, it was about his eastern part. Therefore, AlexanderPlatz, Treptov Park, University of them were maintained the main attractions of Berlin in my brain. Humboldt and Central Street Unter Den Linden
Naturally, I later learned about the Berlin Wall, and about WiederveRigung (Reunion), and even about Ostalgie (Osten + Nostalgie - Nostalgia on the GDR).
But only having been in Berlin, seeing both of his zoo, both universities and both opera houses (Eastern and Western), Western Central Street of Kurfürstendamm, Potsdamerplatz Square, which during the existence of the wall was closed, the remains of the wall itself - I realized that once Berlin was divided into two parts, and the importance of what is now a single city again.
- What is the Berlin Wall?
Berlin wall called the border of the GDR with Western BerlinThis is an engineering and equipped and fortified structure. By the way, the official title of the Berlin Wall was Antifaschistischer Schutzwall.
- Why and why erected her?
From 1949 to 1961, more than 2.6 million inhabitants of the GDR fled to Germany. Someone fled from communist repression, someone just searched in the West best life. The border between Western and East Germany has already been closed since 1952, but shoots through open border sectors in Berlin were possible almost without risk for fugitives. GTR authorities have not seen another exit to stop mass flight to the West
- On August 13, 1961, they began the construction of the Berlin Wall.
- How long did the construction continued?
On the night of August 12 to 13, 1961, a border between Western and East Berlin was detained in a few hours. There was a day off, and many Berliners slept when the GDR authorities began to close the border. The early Sunday morning the city was already separated by border guard and rows of barbed wire. Some families almost overnight were cut off from their loved ones and friends living in the same city. And on August 15, the first segment of the wall was already built. Construction continued long enough to different stages. It can be said that the wall expanded and completed up to his fall in 1989.
- What was the size of the Berlin Wall?
155 km (around West Berlin), including Berlin 43.1 km
- Why was the border open?
You can argue for a long time that the peaceful revolution in the GDR has long been brewing that the prerequisite for this was the restructuring in the USSR. But the facts themselves are more striking. In fact, the fall of the Berlin Wall was December 9, 1989, it became the result of the errors of coordination and non-compliance with orders. This evening, journalists asked the representative of GDR Günther Shabovski government about new rules of foreign trips, to which he erroneous He replied that, "as far as he knows," they enter into force "immediately, already now."
Naturally, in the control border points, where thousands of inhabitants of East Berlin began to flow on the same evening, there were no orders for the opening of the border. Fortunately, the border guards did not use the power against their compatriots, they succumbed to pressure and opened the border. By the way, in Germany, I still grate to Mikhail Gorbachev for also not to use military power And brought troops from Germany.
- The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, then why is the day of German unity celebrate October 03?Initially, the holiday was planned to be appointed on November 9, but this day was associated with dark periods in the history of Germany (the beer Putch in 1923 and the November pogroms of 1938), so they chose another date - October 3, 1990, when the actual association of two German states took place.
Aigul Berheeva, Deutsch-Online
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