In May 1949, after the end of World War II, Germany was divided into two parts: West Germany and East Germany. The west was taken over by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The east was ruled by the communist government of the Soviet Union. On Aug. 13, 1961, the East German government built a 168-km-long wall to stop people from fleeing to the west. Because the construction proceeded quickly overnight, many people were unexpectedly separated from their families and friends. In the 28 years of the Berlin Wall’s existence, over 800 people were killed for trying to escape to West Germany. As the Cold War began to thaw across Eastern Europe, an East German government official announced that their citizens were free to cross the country’s borders starting at midnight of Nov. 9, 1989. On that night, people flooded through the checkpoints. People used hammers, cranes, and bulldozers to pull down the wall. One Berliner spray-painted a piece of the wall and stated, “Only today is the war really over.”
Jeanne Lee Staff Reporter (ttt@timescore.co.kr)
1. Who built the Berlin Wall?
2. How long did the Berlin Wall stand?
1. Have you ever thought of moving to another country? When?
2. What do you think of living in North Korea?
In May 1949, after the end of World War II, Germany was divided into two parts: West Germany and East Germany. The west was taken over by France, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The east was ruled by the communist government of the Soviet Union.
