Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
So, as the economic disparity between East and West Germany (and their respective
halves of Berlin) worsened throughout the 1950s, West Berlin became an increasingly
attractive destination for East Germans and East Berliners, who were able to cross the
zonal border
more or less freely at this time. Many moved over and found work in the
western half of the city, benefiting from the purchasing power of the D-Mark - others
at the very least went over at night to enjoy entertainment and culture lacking in the
more spartan East. his steady
population drain
undermined the GDR, as young and
highly skilled workers headed west for higher living standards and greater political
freedom. Roughly 2,500,000 people quit the GDR during the 1950s, mostly via the
open border with West Berlin, which an average of nineteen thousand East Germans
crossed every month.
Both the GDR and Soviet governments saw this as a threat to East Germany's
existence, and on November 10, 1958, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev demanded
that the western Allies relinquish their role in Berlin to “normalize” the GDR. Two
weeks later, he suggested the Allies should withdraw and make Berlin a free city
- coupled with a broad hint that if no agreement was reached within six months, a
blockade would be reimposed. he Allies rejected the ultimatum, and the Kremlin
allowed the deadline to pass without incident.
By 1961, Ulbricht's regime was getting desperate, and rumours that the border might
be sealed began to circulate. In mid-June Ulbricht assured the world that no one had “the
intention of building a wall”. Simultaneously, however, border controls were tightened,
while the flood of people voting with their feet continued to rise. It was obvious that
something was about to happen. Shortly after midnight on August 13, 1961, East
Germany sealed the border, dividing the city with the
Berlin Wall
(see pp.86-87).
Reaction in the West
Despite public outrage throughout West Germany and formal
diplomatic protests
from
the Allies, everyone knew that a firmer line risked nuclear war. he West had to fall
back on symbolic gestures: the Americans sent over General Lucius Clay, organizer of
the Berlin airlift, and Vice-President Lyndon Johnson on August 18. he
separation of
families
plunged morale in East Berlin to new depths and
economic problems
hit West
Berlin, which was suddenly deprived of sixty thousand skilled workers who formerly
commuted in from the GDR. hey could only be replaced by creating special tax
advantages to attract workers and businesses from the Federal Republic. American
support for West Berlin was rea
rmed in August 1963 by President
John F. Kennedy
's
“Berliner” speech (see p.115), but for all its rhetoric and rapturous reception, the West
essentially had to accept the new status quo.
The 1960s
he
gradual reduction of political tension
that occurred after the Wall had been standing
a couple of years was partly due to improved relations between the superpowers, but
mostly to local efforts. Under SPD mayor
Willy Brandt
, talks were opened up between
the West Berlin Senate and the GDR government, resulting in the “
Pass Agreement
” of
December 1963, whereby 730,000 West Berliners were able to pay brief visits to the
East at the end of the year. hree more agreements were concluded over the next couple
1971
1976
Access is guaranteed across East Germany to West
Berlin with the Four Powers agreement.
David Bowie moves to Schöneberg and starts
work on his Berlin trilogy.
