Defending the GDR, 1949-61 Flashcards
The FRG produced over __ per cent more goods than the GDR and had far more ___ _________ at its disposal (by 1961)
25
raw materials
Annual industrial growth rates in the FRG in comparison to the GDR (1950s)
FRG = 8 per cent per year in the 1950s
GDR = 2.9 per cent
There were surges of emigration to the West. This emigration was principally of _____ and ____-________ people who the GDR could not afford to loose
young
well-educated
How many doctors left the GDR before the creation of the Berlin Wall?
One-quarter of all the doctors left
What was the codename given to the building of the Berlin Wall?
Operation Rose
When was the Berlin Wall built?
The construction of the Berlin Wall began during the night of August 12-13, 1961
What was the purpose of the Berlin Wall?
The main purpose of the Berlin Wall was to prevent the mass migration of East Germans to the West — the East German government was losing a significant number of skilled workers and professionals to the FRG
How long was the Berlin Wall?
The total length of the Berlin Wall was approximately 155 kilometers (96 miles)
What were the features of the Berlin Wall?
- Concrete walls
- Barbed wire
- Guard towers
- A “death strip” equipped with various security measures
Brain drain definition
Brain drain refers to the emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals from one country or region to another — causing a loss of intellectual and professional resources
The Berlin Wall was constructed in response to…
The Berlin Wall was constructed in response to a growing exodus of East Germans who sought to escape to the West for better economic opportunities and political freedoms
The East German government viewed this surge as a formidable menace to their hegemony and decided to build the Wall with the purpose of preventing further migration
Daniel Hamilton Berlin Wall quote
The “infamous wall of concrete and barbed wire” acted as “an invisible wall of regulations and prohibitions designed to shield society from liberalizing influence”
The Berlin Wall — symbolism
Represented the ideological and physical division between the Eastern Bloc and the Western world during the Cold War
It is important to note that the building of the Wall was not an act of…
aggression against the West, rather one of defence, designed to keep people in; it was built wholly in East German territory. It was only aggressive against those who wanted to leave the East
What did President John Fitzgerald Kennedy (JFK) say about the Berlin Wall?
“Why would Khrushchev put up a wall if he really intended to seize Berlin? There wouldn’t be need of a wall if he occupied the whole city. This is his way out of his predicament. It’s not a very nice solution, but a wall is a hell of a lot better than a war.”
