The document summarizes the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. It describes how after World War 2, Germany was divided into East and West with Berlin also divided. In 1961, the Berlin Wall was constructed overnight to prevent East Germans from fleeing to the West. Over time, the wall became more fortified with guards authorized to shoot those trying to escape. Throughout the Cold War, some risked their lives to escape over or under the wall. By 1989, with reforms in the Soviet Union, the wall was opened, celebrating the reunification of Germany.

1. RISE AND FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL
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Photo: Nelson Minar
Unless otherwise sourced, all Photos in this PowerPoint are taken from Wikipedia Commons and are in the public domain
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2. GERMANY: A DIVIDED COUNTRY 1945-1990
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Photo: Theirry Noir. 1986
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3. END OF WORLD WAR II
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Winston Churchill (UK)
Harry S. Truman (US)
Josef Stalin (USSR)
These leaders met to discuss what would
happen with Germany after WW2.
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4. OCCUPATION ZONES
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Berlin & Germany were
divided into four sectors
after WW2
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5. BERLIN AIRLIFT (1948-1949)
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The Soviet set up a blockade around Berlin, so the Western
Allies organized the Berlin airlift to carry supplies to the
people in West Berlin.
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6. TWO GERMANIES :: TWO FLAGS
Federal Republic of Germany
(West Germany)
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German Democratic Republic
(East Germany)
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7. LEAVING EAST GERMANY 1951
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Families began to leave East Germany in hopes of gaining
freedom in West Germany. Would you have tried to leave?
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8. THE BUILDING OF THE BERLIN WALL
AUGUST 13, 1961
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The wall was built in
the middle of the
night. Many families
were separated and
people lost their jobs.
How would you have
felt if part ofSource: Bildarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz/ Klaus Lehnartz
your
family was separated
during this time?
Willy Brandt
watches from West
Germany as the
wall is built.
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9. BUILDING OF THE BERLIN WALL 1961
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People waived to
friends and family on
the other side of the
wall.
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10. GERMANY: CENTER OF THE COLD WAR
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Soldiers from the U.S.
Army Berlin Command
face off against police
from the former East
Germany during one of
several standoffs at
Checkpoint Charlie in
1961.
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11. THE DEATH STRIP
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Eventually, there were two walls with barbed wire and
watchtowers with armed soldiers. People that tried to
escape were shot and killed.
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12. ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE TO THE WEST
136 people died trying
to escape to West
Berlin
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Memorial for
the victims of the
wall, Berlin
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13. FLIGHT TO THE WEST
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100’s of people were able to escape
from the East to the West
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14. FLIGHT TO THE WEST
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People hid in cars that were driven to the West, some dug
tunnels and some even travelled by hot air balloon!
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15. "WALLED IN!" GERMANY'S INNER BORDER
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Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwQsTzGkbiY
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16. PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY 1963
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"Ich bin ein Berliner"
John F. Kennedy's phonetic
transcription of the German and Latin
phrases in the “Ich bin ein Berliner“ (I
Am a Berliner) speech.
Source: Robert Knudsen
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17. 2 DIFFERENT FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
Democratic
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Communist
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18. LIFE IN THE EAST
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In the East, citizens were only allowed to buy products that the
government made or allowed.
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19. LIFE IN THE EAST
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-Luxury items were priced way out
of proportion to people’s salaries. A
black and white TV might cost 10
times a person’s monthly salary
-You could only watch one of a few
government channels on TV
-Many families lived in a home that
had no bathtub or shower, only a
sink and a toilet.
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20. LEGAL WAY TO LEAVE
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Request form for leaving East Germany
Source: http://www.ddr-ausreise.de
An East German family after their
arrival in West Germany. The family
tried to leave the GDR legally and had
to wait for over 8 years before finally
receiving their departure permit.
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21. WESTERN SIDE WALL
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People on the West used the wall as a
place to express their views on the wall
Request form for leaving East Germany
Source: http://www.ddr-ausreise.de
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22. THE COLD WAR ENDED…GORBACHEV
Ronald Reagan
President of the
United States
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Mikhail Gorbachev
Leader of the Soviet
Union
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23. RONALD REAGAN AT THE BERLIN WALL 1987
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“”Mr. Gorbachev,
tear down this
wall!”
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24. JUNE 1989
HUNGARY OPENS ITS BORDER TO AUSTRIA
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Source: www1.karlsruhe.de
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25. HUNGARY OPENED BORDERS TO THE WEST
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26. NOVEMBER 9, 1989 OPENING OF THE WALL
Source: Sue Ream
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People began to stand and
cross the wall, eventually
tearing it down.
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27. THE WALL AS A SOUVENIR
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28. BRANDENBURG GATE
A SYMBOL OF SEPARATION AND UNITY OF GERMANY
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