Berlin Wall Flashcards
What were FRG benefits in Berlin, and failures of GDR?
FRG benefits:
Marshall aid; economic policies of Adenauer and Erhard’s social-market economy; cheap labour and industrial relations; integration with Western alliances to prevent Communism spread; EEC.
GDR failures:
Extraction of resources for reparation; ‘command economy’ and increasing productivity with no benefit; emigration from GDR to FRG of industrial and agricultural workers; integration with Eastern bloc states who didn’t want rise of economy and cooperation; comecon.
What happened at 1961 Vienna summit? What did Ulbricbht claim in Summer, but by August what meeting gave him go-ahead?
1961 Vienna: Khrushchev states that West Berlin was GDR property and stated military action if still divided; Kennedy retorted that the control and occupation was under West.
1961 Summer: Ulbricht claims he would not build a wall, but informed USSR brain drain was reaching critical levels. August 1961 : at a meeting with the Eastern bloc countries, given go-ahead to build the wall and seal off all routes from East to West Berlin.
Why did Khrushchev consent to the wall, and how did Ulbricbht get the wall to be constructed?
Khrushchev failed to make West have concessions to remove Allie forces from Berlin and felt mass emigration from GDR made it a liability for USSR.
Ulbricht pressurised Khrushchev to appeal to satellite state, and gambled threat of nuclear war.
By 6am, what happened on 13 Aug?
What happened to defecting construction workers and how did GDR justify it?
How much was travel restricted, and what were demolished? What articles were made in East? Why was the reaction late, and who reacted?
12 Aug - Ulbricht tells his ministers.
By 6am, 13 Aug, barbed wire was set up and railway routes cut, with GDR workers and army building the wall over few years. Those construction workers who defected were ordered to be shot by the border guards. The GDR justified this as a way of keeping peace and protecting them from the neighbouring fascist state and imperialist West.
13 Aug 1961-9 Nov 1989 few East Berliners could travel to West, and West Berliners needed a pass. Buildings which could be escaped through were demolished. The Germans were in a state of shock. In the East, articles were produced defending construction to defend the East against capitalism and its evils, and no photos were permitted of the wall. Macmillan, de Gaule, and Kennedy were all on holiday, and it took 10 days for Adenauer to visit the West of Berlin to annoyance of mayor Brandt. Kennedy stated that GDR could not be protected for threat of increased tensions.
Effects in FRG…
Who felt encircled? Why did demonstrations erupt led by Willy Brandt, and what was booked for months?
What was the US military reaction in Sept 1961, and what did West Germany do for its troops?
What provision was erratic? What currency was used in East, and where were coins currently dropped?
When were visits first permitted?
Families were divided, and West Berliners felt encircled. Telephone lines were cut leading to demonstrations by Willy Brandt as the US had failed to respond to this. Removal companies were booked for months as Berliners wanted to move to FRG itself, and military forces were strengthened.
In September 1961 40,000 soldiers were sent primarily to FRG and Western German troops of 36,000 who were about to be demobilised had service extended by 3 months alongside conscription from 6 to 18 months in 1962.
Provision of visas was erratic and to consent of GDR authorities who required payment in hard cash of their currency; the Western currency was used by East with Alexanderplatz having Western coins dropped in it, and this currency used for 30 years. In December 1963, visits were allowed for Christmas/New Year, and Stasi had to have surveillance of West visitors.
GDR effects.
What did they have to come to terms with? Describe propaganda in East as a result.
What week was introduced, and in 1963 what new system was developed?
How were wages and consumer goods affected, and what bold claim did Ulbricbht make?
Why was the System ditched after 1968?
Had to come to terms with life and create successful socialist society, with propaganda referring to the wall as being protective despite the fact it allowed more repression. In 1986, the 25th anniversary was celebrate with postage stamps which commemorated the building of the ‘anti-fascist protective wall.’
The political and domestic situation improved. A six-day week was introduced and in 1963 the ‘Age of Socialism and the New Economic System,’ were set up to increase flexibility, reducing centralised state controls to regional levels and allowing factories freedom to obtain materials and promote technological and scientific profession.
Wages had risen by late 1960s and more consumer goods were available, with agricultural production rising. Though there were food and housing shortages, by 1960s Ulbricbht claimed the GDR would overtake the FRG economically. New Economic System ditched after Prague Spring due to USSR concerns over experimentation.
What was the wall like on the West and East? What did the West use the wall to show?
On the West the wall was used to show repression of the Eastern bloc. In West Berlin it was graffitied with political messages, while on the East it was white-washed, heavily guarded, with government buildings and a large exclusion zone. The West allowed it to become a tourist zone where you could ‘see the other side.’ The wall was of concrete make and reinforced constantly with modifications in 1975 and 1980. It was reinforced in the East with watchtowers, traps, mines, guard dogs, and a further fence with the land in-between referred to as ‘the death strip.’
What was the inner-German border and how was it guarded? What were GDR border troops faced with for preventing escape, and what was their reward for stopping it? How many troops were stationed, how many tanks and machine guns used in 1961?
The inner-German border was spread across Germany, with US, French, and English troops stationed further away across the West, and GDR border troops guarding this. They were faced with 5 year prison sentences for not acting to stop ‘flight from the republic,’ receiving payment, honours, and even roads named after them if they succeeded in stopping escape. They became heroes. 50,000 border troops for the GDR were stationed throughout the period, and in 1961 alone 60 tanks and 5,500 machine guns were used.
What were East escape routes, and how were these stopped?
How many successfully escaped, how many killed, and how many imprisoned?
In 1962 what happened to Peter Fechter, and what happened to Chris Gunffroy on 6 Feb 1989? What rewards did the border guards receive?
Early attempts included hot air balloons, jumping out of windows, digging tunnels, and driving across checkpoints. Roads were made zig-zagged to stop this. Suppression of sports such as scuba diving and hot air ballooning was used as a result. For the duration of the wall’s existence, 5000 successfully escaped with 191 killed at the border, and 5000 imprisoned for 2-8 years for ‘flight from the republic.’ In 1962 Peter Fechter, a brick-layer from East Berlin, was shot by GDR guards aged 18 as he tried to escape. Nobody tried to rescue him, and his death was broadcast on West German TV. On 6 February 1989, Chris Gunffroy was shot 10 months before the opening of the wall, with four East German border guards receiving an award of RM150 each. His death was recorded by GDR press and a monument was built in 2005.
How many border crossings were there and who could cross?
When were the crossing points first opened, and what were pensioners entitled to?
In 1971 what agreement was made?
What was the common crossing point?
How many motorway routes and railway routes were there, and how much did the FRG pay the GDR to maintain road routes?
Who could legally cross, and how were they treated?
What did the GDR do with cars to prevent escapes?
There were 8 border crossings where the West Berliners and Germans, foreigners, and Allied personnel could visit the East. Old-age pensioners could have a four-week period once a year to visit family. In December 1963, crossing points were open to 1 million West Berliners. Many East Berliners who visited the West commented on its greed and lack of solidarity. By 1971 a Four-Power Agreement in September eased restrictionss, issuing passes for West Germans. Friedrichstrasse was a common crossing point used, also known as the palace of tears due to the emotional fair wells which family experienced.
There were four motorway routes the West Germans could use to get to West Berlin, and the FRG paid 500mDM to have this privilege, alongside 4 railway routes and canal. Western foreigners could legally cross the wall and their currency was welcome. They were subject to careful checks and a mirror would be ran by police under cars to ensure nobody was clinging under.
