Oral+History+Research

Topic- The Fall of the Berlin Wall Interview Subject- Sigi Veitinger (my mom)

The Wall was erected in 1961 because more than 2.6 million East Germans escaped to West Berlin or West Germany from 1949 to 1961. Before 1961 traveling from the east to the west was still relativly easy. But after 1962, it was not. People left the east to go to the west part of Germany because life in the west was better. The east was communist and the people were repressed and suffered under their rule. In May of 1961 the open border (Zonengrenze) between East and West Germany was closed by the East German government. This wall split the city of Berlin in half. The East was communist and the West was a republic.The wall was built in August and stood for almost 28 years. The wall was about 100km long. Then on October 3, 1990 Germany was reunited as one again.

 Bibiliography- Burkhardt, Heiko. "Berlin Wall Photographs 60s." Berlin Wall Online. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 May 2011. <[] >. Burkhardt, Heiko. "Why the Berlin Wall was built up ." //Berlin Wall Online //. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 May 2011. [].  "The Berlin Wall." //Berlin Life //. BerlinLife.com, n.d. Web. 22 May 2011. .