What was the Berlin Wall summary?
Overview. The Berlin Wall was a barrier that divided Germany from 1961 to 1989. Constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) starting on August 13, 1961, the Wall completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989.
What happened to the Berlin Wall in 1989 and what did it symbolize?
The wall, which stood between 1961 to 1989, came to symbolize the ‘Iron Curtain’ – the ideological split between East and West – that existed across Europe and between the two superpowers, the US and the Soviet Union, and their allies, during the Cold War.
Why was Berlin so important in the Cold War?
Belin was important during the Cold War because it was used to show Western powers’ commitment of money, time, and resources to rebuilding Europe and stopping the spread of Soviet communism. This was evidenced by the creation of the Marshall Plan.
What was the Berlin Wall and how did it fall?
It culminated in one of the most famous scenes in recent history – the fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall came down partly because of a bureaucratic accident but it fell amid a wave of revolutions that left the Soviet-led communist bloc teetering on the brink of collapse and helped define a new world order.
What were the effects of the fall of the Berlin Wall?
Explain two consequences of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. One consequence was that families that had been separated could meet each other again. This was because after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 the East and West of Berlin were separated by the wall and it was dangerous to attempt to cross it illegally.
What happened to Berlin Wall on November 9th 1989?
The Berlin Wall: The Fall of the Wall. On November 9, 1989, as the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe , the spokesman for East Berlin ’s Communist Party announced a change in his city’s relations with the West.
Why was the Berlin Wall torn down?
The communist government ordered the Berlin wall to be torn down because the government wanted to open its whole border (more like eliminate it) to the west. Because of this, plenty of East Germans went across the border because they wanted to reunite with their family members again.