1) Why was the Berlin Wall built?
How did the GDR attempt to stem the flow of emigrants to West Berlin in the 1950s?
Stasi officers would try and identify those trying to emigrate and check mail to see if anyone was posting possessions ahead of them
What were the consequences for the families and friends of emigrants who stayed in the GDR?
State surveillance and reduced educational/career prospects
What was the immediate impact of the Wall on the economy?
Stopped the emigration crisis
Why was the FRG keen to encourage immigration from the East?
The 'economic miracle' had created a shortage of labour
Why was the initial Wall a very weak construction?
Time pressure and Khrushchev's fear of confrontation
What was the attitude of Khrushchev towards the GDR?
Treated it as a gambling piece - called Berlin the 'testicle of the West'
What was Khrushchev's influence on domestic affairs in the GDR?
Very limited as he had an ineffective relationship with Ulbricht
What provided the most opportunity for emigration?
West Berlin
What were the majority of emigrants?
Young, skilled and educated
How many East Germans emigrated to the FRG between 1949 and 1961?
2.5 million
How many East Germans emigrated in 1960 alone?
200,000
When was the decision taken to close the Berlin border?
3-5 August 1961
What did Khrushchev claim in 1958 that he wanted Berlin to become?
A free-city state, but inevitably that would be dependent on the USSR
What was the long-term impact of the Wall on the economy?
Allowed better central planning as the work-force was assured
How were emigrants to the FRG treated by the FRG government?
As refugees, with citizenship and generous financial aid and housing
How many died trying to cross the Wall?
At least 136
What was the name for 'border assailants'?
Grenzverletzer
Who was the first person to die trying to cross the Wall?
Ida Siekmann, 22 August 1961
What was the relationship between Ulbricht and Khrushchev like?
Ineffective - Ulbricht was too much of a hard-line Stalinist
What was the result of Khrushchev's threatening war to Kennedy unless the Berlin question was settled?
Kennedy guaranteed the continued status of West Berlin but also made it clear he wouldn't challenge the USSR's influence in the East
Who played the main role in the GDR's foreign policy?
Khrushchev - he was the one who negotiated directly with the West, often not telling GDR leaders about his intentions
What happened in November 1958 to provoke crisis?
Khrushchev demanded the removal of Western troops from Berlin.
What did Ulbricht announce on 15th June?
"No-one intends to build a wall"
How much did emigration decrease the workforce?
10%
When was the Berlin Wall erected?
13th August, by six am
How did the population of the GDR change 1949 to 1961?
18.5 million to 17 million
When was emigration to the FRG made illegal?
1952
When was the FRG-GDR border closed?
1952
What difference did the Wall make to control of the people?
Made it much easier, as escape and cross-border contact was now virtually impossible
What was the result of the September 1959 meeting of Khrushchev and Eisenhower?
Nothing - no agreement could be reached over the status of West Berlin
What was the code name of the building of the Berlin Wall?
Operation Rose
How far did Ulbricht embrace the policy of de-Stalinisation?
Paid only lip-service to it
What was the name of Khrushchev's foreign policy?
Peaceful Co-existence
How did the SED try to prevent doctors emigrating?
Privileges like foreign travel and university places for their children
What was the USSR's preferred method, instead of a wall?
Pursuing moderate policies to deter emigration
What effect did high emigration have on the GDR's reputation?
The FRG could undermine the GDR's credibility and use it as proof of the failures of socialism
Why did Khrushchev cancel the Paris summit planned for May, 1960?
The U-2 crisis, where a US spy plane flying in Russian airspace was shot down by a Soviet missile
What prompted Khrushchev's agreement to the Berlin Wall?
The West's second rejection of his ultimatum over Berlin in 1961, when it became clear Berlin was no longer an effective bargaining tool
What lead to a more permanent Wall?
The lack of retaliation from the West
Were there really 'Western agents' in the GDR?
There was evidence of Western agents recruiting GDR workers
Why had the USSR resisted the SED's previous suggestions of a wall?
They feared it would be provocative and expensive
Why was the fact the GDR had the highest standard of living in the Eastern bloc not particularly significant?
They were constantly exposed to higher standards in the FRG
