The Berlin Wall

THE BERLIN WALLTHE BERLIN WALL

Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Berlin from August 13, 1961 -- November 9, 1989 was one of the most important symbols of the Cold War.

It was also the symbolic boundary between democracy and communism during the Cold War.

The Berlin Wall completely surrounded West Berlin, running for a total of 96 miles (154.5 km),entirely cutting West Berlin off from the rest of East Germany.

THERE WERE EIGHT BORDER CROSSINGS IN THE WALL

Charlie was the most infamous border crossing between East and West Berlin

At least 171 people were killed trying to get over, under or around the Berlin Wall. From 1961 until the wall came down in 1989, more than 5,000 East Germans managed to cross the border by jumping out of windows adjacent to the wall, climbing over the barbed wire, flying in hot air balloons..

BRANDENBURG GATE

During the Cold War, when the gate was located right near the border between East and West Berlin, it became a symbol of a divided city.

On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan gave this historic speech

"Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

The Peaceful Revolution was a series of peaceful political protests against the regime of the German Democratic Republic

After 28 years, the Berlin Wall finally came down on November 9, 1989

September 10, 1989 In the night of 10-11 September, the Hungarian government opens the border to Austria for East German citizens

In Leipzig the demonstrations began on 4 Sep knowning like Monday demonstration

September 4, 1989

November 4, 1989

The Alexander demonstration was a demonstration for political reforms and against the government of the German Democratic Republic on Alexanderplatz in East Berlin on 4 November 1989.

East German government official Günter Schabowski stated during a press conference that travel through the border to the West was open.

To the one word question "when?" he answered prematurely: "immediately"

November 9, 1989

People who heard the

broadcast were shocked. They went to the border to see if it was true.

The border guards, who had no explicit instructions as to what to do, let them through.

Very quickly, the Berlin Wall was inundated with people from both sides. There was a huge celebration along the Berlin Wall, with people hugging, kissing, singing, cheering, and crying.

People used hammers and picks to knock away chunks of the wall–they became known as “mauerspechte,” or “wall woodpeckers”—while cranes and bulldozers pulled down section after section.

The guards at the Brandenburg Gate were at a loss as to what to do. In the end they decided to let people cross over…

In December 22, 1989 Brandenburg Gate is finally opened

REUNITED GERMANY

October 3, 1990 Germany was reunited after more than 40 years

12th September, ‘90In Moscow the foreign ministers of the four allied forces and the two German states signed the treaty on the sovereignty of a united Germany

10th February, ’90 In a meeting with Chancellor Helmut Kohl in Moscow Gorbachev guaranteed the right of the German people to live together in one state

12th March, ‘90Again about 70,000 gathered in Leipzig for the last Monday demonstration

12th April, ’90The new East German government was formed

31st August, ‘90The re-unification treaty was signed in East Berlin

At midnight on 3rd October 1990, the Freedom Bell, a gift from the United States, was rung, and Germany was again a united nation.