On 13 August 1961 residents of Berlin awaken to find 43 kilometres of barbed wire fencing splitting their city in two.
Transcript
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On 13 August 1961 residents of Berlin awaken to find 43
kilometres of barbed wire fencing splitting their city in two.
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The Communist East German government, concerned about the
exodus of East Berliners fleeing to the democratic West, decides to
completely close the border between divided Germany.
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Without warning, families are divided, people are cut off from
their friends, their schools, their places of employment, health
care, recreation and worship.
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Over the coming months and years, the fence becomes a 3.6
metre-high concrete wall reinforced with watch towers, armed
guards, attack dogs, mines, and traps. It runs through suburbs,
streets, parks and rivers, dividing families, cutting through the
heart of the city.
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A further 1,393 kilometres of fences, walls, fortifications,
dogs, and minefields form the Inner German Border dividing the
entire nation in two. Whole villages that stand in the way are
destroyed. Communities are divided from each other.
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East German border guards have orders to shoot anyone who
attempts to cross the no-mans land between the two countries.
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Over the coming years thousands of refugees seeking freedom
from political oppression will risk their lives to cross the
border. They scale fences, jump out of windows, hide in vehicles,
dig tunnels, attempt hot air balloon flights, swim miles through
the freezing Baltic to reach freedom.
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Nearly a thousand people will die in the attempt. In Berlin
itself, almost 200 people are shot dead in attempts to cross the
wall.
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1 November 1989
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Political reform throughout other parts of Communist Europe
sparks hopes among East Germans that their own government will take
steps to restore liberty and democracy. Change in the political
leadership further fans this small glimmer of hope.
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4 November 1989
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Over half a million East Germans gather at the Alexanderplatz
to rally for political change in East Berlin. It is the first time
in forty years that a free public protest has been tolerated by the
authorities.
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Protests continue in both the east and the west calling for one
united Germany. Reforms in Hungary and Czechoslovakia begin
allowing East Germans through their borders, weakening the internal
German border.
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8 November 1989
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The East German government meets and decides to begin lifting
the strict controls on border crossing although the precise date of
effect is not clear.
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9 November 1989
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The government spokesman, not properly briefed, mistakenly
tells the media that the borders are immediately opened.
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The citizens of Berlin flock to the Wall and demand that guards
open the gates. The guards, not informed of any changes, wait
tensely for orders that do not come. None is willing to fire on the
excited crowd.
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At 10.45pm they simply yield to the call and open the gates.
Easterners pour through in jubilation and are met with open arms
and wild rejoicing on the other side.
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By midnight people from both sides have climbed on to the wall
an action which days previously would have resulted in being shot
to dance and sing and celebrate.
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In the following days, ordinary people descend on the wall with
chisels and sledgehammers to begin tearing it down as soon as
possible.
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Holes are chipped away until strangers can reach through to
join hands and celebrate the reunification of their city.
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11 November 1989
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Millions of East Germans flood in to Berlin.
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West Berliners open their homes to welcome strangers. Wild with
freedom, all of Berlin celebrates. The communist government falls
without bloodshed.
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Less than a year later Germany is reunified and fully
democratic.
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A week is a long time.
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Today, a 760 kilometre wall of concrete, barbed wire, and armed
guards runs through the West Bank dividing it from Israel in
contravention of international law and in violation of human
rights.
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Without warning, families are divided, people are cut off from
their land, their friends, their schools, their places of
employment, health care, recreation and worship. It runs through
suburbs, streets, parks and rivers, dividing families, cutting
through the heart of the city. Communities are divided from each
other.