The Berlin Crisis and the Berlin Wall
The refugee problem in Berlin
After 1949, many East Germans wanted to leave for the richer, freer West. The border between East and West Germany was closed, but in Berlin people could still cross from East to West.
Between 1949 and 1961, around 3 million people left East Germany. Many were young and skilled, such as doctors, engineers and teachers. This damaged East Germany's economy.
Significance: the refugees were deeply embarrassing for the Soviet Union, because they showed that many people preferred life under capitalism.
Key terms
Khrushchev's Berlin ultimatum, 1958
In November 1958, Khrushchev issued an : the Western powers must leave West Berlin within six months, and it must become a 'free city'. If they did not, he would hand control of the routes into Berlin to East Germany.
Cause: Khrushchev wanted to stop the refugees, end the West's foothold inside East Germany, and test the West's resolve.
Consequence: the West refused to leave, and the two sides agreed to hold talks instead.
Key terms
The summits of 1959–61
| Summit | What happened |
|---|---|
| Geneva, 1959 | Foreign ministers met. Nothing was agreed, but Khrushchev's deadline passed without action |
| Camp David, 1959 | Khrushchev and Eisenhower met in the USA. Khrushchev withdrew his ultimatum, and they agreed to meet again in Paris |
| Paris, 1960 | Days before, an American spy plane was shot down over the USSR. Eisenhower refused to apologise, and Khrushchev walked out |
| Vienna, 1961 | Khrushchev met the new President, Kennedy, thought him weak, and renewed his demands over Berlin |
Significance: the summits failed to solve the Berlin problem, and tension rose again.
Remember
The summits in order: Geneva, Camp David (both 1959), Paris (1960), Vienna (1961).
Key terms
The Berlin Wall, 1961
On 13 August 1961, East German soldiers sealed the border between East and West Berlin with barbed wire. Within days, it was being replaced by a concrete wall, guarded by soldiers with orders to shoot.
In October 1961, American and Soviet tanks faced each other at , a crossing point, for several tense days, before both sides pulled back.
Consequences:
- The flow of refugees stopped.
- Families and friends were split apart, and many people were killed trying to escape over the years that followed.
- The West protested but did not act, as it was not willing to go to war over the Wall.
- Berlin became the symbol of a divided Europe.
Key terms
The Wall's impact on US-Soviet relations, and Kennedy's visit
Consequences for relations: the Wall ended the immediate crisis, because it solved Khrushchev's refugee problem without a war. But it also became a lasting symbol of the division between East and West.
In June 1963, Kennedy visited West Berlin and spoke to a huge crowd:
('Ich bin ein Berliner' means 'I am a Berliner'.)