Topic #1: Crisis in Berlin

Essential Question: How did the Berlin Wall change the relationship between east and west Berlin?

Berlin Wall

Who: Allies vs. Soviet Union

Where: Between West and East Berlin

When: 1961-1989

What: The Soviet Union creates a wall to separate East Berlin from West Berlin. It is not a part of the iron curtain, but it was a physical barrier to keep people from fleeing to West Berlin where they would be protected by the allies in Soviet dominion.

• 5k escape, 5k are captured, and 191 people were killed while escaping.

• Before construction around 2.5 million fled to West Germany.

Why imp: It became the most visible symbol of division, showing the contrast between freedom in the West and control in the East. It also proved that the Soviet Union had to physically stop people from leaving, highlighting weakness in its system and increasing global tension.

Death Strip

The space in between the walls in East and West Berlin. It was guarded by soldiers who would kill anyone who tried to escape.

The Stasi

Who: Secret service

Where: East Germany

When: February 1950

What: The secret service of East Germany. It spied on and controlled citizens to protect the communist government. The Stasi had officers and and forced citizens to be informers to learn the people’s secrets. If someone was against the government, the Stasi would arrest, manipulate, or ruin the person’s reputation.

• When the government collapsed in 1989, it was discovered that the Stasi had files on millions of citizens and had one of the largest surveillance archives in history.

Why imp: It impacted everyday life in East Germany by limiting freedom of speech and affecting jobs and education. It also caused struggles with trust and relationships after citizens learned who had informed on them.

Checkpoint Charlie

Who: U.S. army (backed by John F. Kennedy) and East German police/Soviet Union (backed by Krushchev).

Where: East Berlin

When: 1961

What: The third crossing point between East and West Berlin. There were tensions at this checkpoint because Americans didn’t recognize East German guards’ authority and thought the Soviets should control the border crossings. So in 1961, the U.S. and Soviet Union sent tanks to face each other in Berlin. For about 16 hours, tanks stood ready to fight, but both sides eventually agreed to withdraw.

Why imp: It was the closest the U.S. and Soviet Union got to a physical war during the Cold War.

Brandenburg Gate

Who: U.S. and Soviet Union

Where: Between East and West Berlin

When: Built in the 1700s

What: A historical German landmark that marked the boarder between East and West Berlin after WWII. When the Berlin Wall is made, the gate was placed in the death strip and no one could go visit it.

• In 1987, Ronald Reagan made his "Tear Down This Wall" speech at the gate.

Why imp: After the Berlin Wall falls, it became a symbol of peace, freedom, and reunification because both sides could finally cross through it.