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The '''Berlin Wall''' was a heavily guarded police wall in [[Berlin]], [[Germany]] that separated [[Communist]] East Berlin from [[democracy|democratic]] West Berlin. It was one of the most visible symbols of the [[Iron Curtain]]. The wall was built in 1961 by the government of the [[German Democratic Republic]] (East Germany) in order to stop the tide of emigration to West Berlin. President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1987 demanded it be torn down, to the astonishment of the world.  To even greater disbelief, it was torn down in November, 1989, thus ending the [[Cold War]]  and bringing freedom to East Germany and (within days) to the rest of the satellites in [[Central Europe]] which now threw off Communism.  

The '''Berlin Wall''' was a heavily guarded police wall in [[Berlin]], [[Germany]] that separated [[Communist]] East Berlin from [[democracy|democratic]] West Berlin. It was one of the most visible symbols of the [[Iron Curtain]]. The wall was built in 1961 by the government of the [[German Democratic Republic]] (East Germany) in order to stop the tide of emigration to West Berlin. President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1987 demanded it be torn down, to the astonishment of the world.  To even greater disbelief, it was torn down in November 1989, thus ending the [[Cold War]]  and bringing freedom to East Germany and (within days) to the rest of the satellites in [[Central Europe]] which now threw off Communism.  

Because of dissatisfaction with the economic and political conditions (forced collectivization of agriculture, repression of private trade, supply gaps), an increasing number of people left the GDR. From January to the beginning of August 1961, about 160,000 refugees were counted.<ref>http://userpage.chemie.fu-berlin.de/BIW/wall.html</ref>

Because of dissatisfaction with the economic and political conditions (forced collectivization of agriculture, repression of private trade, supply gaps), an increasing number of people left the GDR. From January to the beginning of August 1961, about 160,000 refugees were counted.<ref>http://userpage.chemie.fu-berlin.de/BIW/wall.html</ref>

Armed guards patrolled the eastern side of the wall. In 1962, Peter Fechter was shot while attempting to cross into West Berlin, and slowly bled to death in front of a large crowd,<ref>http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/1st.draft</ref> which started a riot and led to Fechter becoming a symbol of resistance against the wall. Onlookers did not attempt to aid Fichte, as they feared the communist guards might fire upon them as well.

Armed guards patrolled the eastern side of the wall. In 1962, Peter Fechter was shot while attempting to cross into West Berlin and slowly bled to death in front of a large crowd,<ref>http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/09/1st.draft</ref> which started a riot and led to Fechter becoming a symbol of resistance against the wall. Onlookers did not attempt to aid Fichte, as they feared the communist guards might fire upon them as well.

The symbolism of the wall as a representative of the divide between capitalism and communism was not lost on [[United States|American]] President [[Ronald Reagan]], who, in a famous 1987 speech, urged [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] President [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] to "tear down this wall!" These words proved prophetic, on November 9, 1989 the German Democratic Republic announced that the border would be re-opened. The wall was promptly destroyed. In the following year the parliament of the German Democratic Republic voted for reunification and became new states (Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of [[Germany]].

The symbolism of the wall as a representative of the divide between capitalism and communism was not lost on [[United States|American]] President [[Ronald Reagan]], who, in a famous 1987 speech, urged [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] President [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] to "tear down this wall!" These words proved prophetic, on November 9, 1989, the German Democratic Republic announced that the border would be re-opened. The wall was promptly destroyed. In the following year, the parliament of the German Democratic Republic voted for reunification and became new states (Bundesländer) of the Federal Republic of [[Germany]].

==Construction==

==Construction==

The Wall was erected overnight on 13–14 August 1961. This was a Saturday night and most Berliners slept while the East German government began to close the border and install barbed wire fences through Berlin. The first concrete sections were installed on 15 August 1961, and over the following few months the concrete block sections were extended. In June 1962 the wall was further consolidated, and in 1965 the "third generation" of Wall replaced this earlier construction. Consisting of concrete slabs between steel girder and concrete posts with a concrete sewage pipe along the top, this was itself replaced in many areas after 1975 with newer concrete segments which were more resistant to breakthroughs.<ref>''Berlin Wall History: Facts'' [http://dailysoft.com/berlinwall/history/facts.htm Berlin Wall Online]. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>

The Wall was erected overnight on 13–14 August 1961. This was a Saturday night and most Berliners slept while the East German government began to close the border and install barbed wire fences through Berlin. The first concrete sections were installed on 15 August 1961, and over the following few months, the concrete block sections were extended. In June 1962 the wall was further consolidated, and in 1965 the "third generation" of Wall replaced this earlier construction. Consisting of concrete slabs between steel girder and concrete posts with a concrete sewage pipe along the top, this was itself replaced in many areas after 1975 with newer concrete segments which were more resistant to breakthroughs.<ref>''Berlin Wall History: Facts'' [http://dailysoft.com/berlinwall/history/facts.htm Berlin Wall Online]. Accessed 30 January 2008</ref>

[[Image:Berlin Wall layout.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Diagrammatic layout of the elements of the Berlin Wall]]

[[Image:Berlin Wall layout.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Diagrammatic layout of the elements of the Berlin Wall]]

Historians researching the files of the [[Stasi]] found that in 1961 the secret police devoted virtually all of their resources and their 50,000 staff solely to stopping people leaving the country. Anyone thought likely to flee was forcibly moved away from border areas. Other people were encouraged to spy on their friends, neighbours and colleagues and inform on them if they were considering an escape.<ref>''Scale of East German exodus revealed'' op cit</ref>

Historians researching the files of the [[Stasi]] found that in 1961 the secret police devoted virtually all of their resources and their 50,000 staff solely to stopping people leaving the country. Anyone thought likely to flee was forcibly moved away from border areas. Other people were encouraged to spy on their friends, neighbours and colleagues and inform on them if they were considering an escape.<ref>''Scale of East German exodus revealed'' op cit</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Buckley, William F. Jr. ''The Fall of the Berlin Wall'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Berlin-Turning-Points-History/dp/0470496681/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259584855&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search] by famous conservative writer

* Buckley, William F. Jr. ''The Fall of the Berlin Wall'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Fall-Berlin-Turning-Points-History/dp/0470496681/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259584855&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search] by famous conservative writer