Glencoe World History © 2008

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Introduction
The fall of the Berlin Wall followed a period of much suffering in East and West Berlin. In this activity you will learn about conditions in the divided city, and how events in the Soviet Union and in East Germany led to a swift decision to tear down the wall and reunify Berlin.

Destination Title: The Berlin War

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• Click on "The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall."
• Click on each link on the right side of the display.
• Read the information provided for each link. Take notes as you go.

Use the information you found to answer the following questions.

1			What action did the Soviet Union take in 1948? Why?
2			According to East German officials, what was the purpose of the wall? What was the wall's actual purpose?
3			Why were East Berliners eager to move to West Berlin?
4			When did the borders finally open between East Berlin and West Berlin? How did citizens of East and West Germany contribute to the fall of the Berlin Wall?
5			Several East German groups began working during the late 1980s for an end to Communist rule. Imagine you are an East German, calling for democracy and the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Compose a short political manifesto calling on others to work toward these goals. Make references to the conflicting values of democracy and communism, describe living conditions and political conditions in East Germany, and include demands to the East German leader, Erich Honecker, and the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.