1989 Berlin: Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the 1989 Berlin Wall and Eastern Europe notes.

Berlin Wall

The barrier that separated East and West Berlin during the Cold War; its dismantling in 1989 symbolized the end of divided Europe.

Brandenburg Gate

A famous Berlin landmark near which Dan Rather reported; a symbol linked to the city’s division and reunification.

East German border guards

Officials who began tearing down portions of the Berlin Wall to allow East Germans to enter West Berlin.

tearing down portions of the wall

Removing segments of the Berlin Wall in 1989, signaling the wall’s partial dismantling.

symbolic tearing down

The perceived end of Berlin’s division, celebrated by Germans as the wall’s fall signified broader reform.

artificial division of Berlin

The politically created separation of Berlin into East and West during the Cold War, viewed as ending in 1989.

East Germany (GDR)

The socialist state that controlled East Berlin and oversaw changes leading to the wall’s fall.

German reunification

The process of merging East and West Germany into a single nation, accelerated by 1989 events.

Soviet Union losing grip on Eastern Europe

The USSR’s diminishing influence, reducing its ability to intervene in Eastern European states during 1989 reforms.

Eastern Europe resistance movements (1989)

Large-scale protests and reforms across Eastern Europe challenging communist regimes in 1989.

totalitarian control

Absolute political power and suppression of opposition; regimes in Eastern Europe began shedding this control in 1989.

China exception

Noting that China’s 1989 response differed, as student protests were suppressed, contrasting with reforms elsewhere.