starter

1
? starter
Since the building of Hadrians Wall right up to
the construction of the wall separating Israel
from Palestine, walls have been iconic images.
Why do historians and journalists attach so much
importance to these very ordinary constructions?
Watch the film clip and decide.
2
Was the Berlin Wall built to keep the US out or
the Soviets in?
3
? Your task

• Read p.62-63 of your text book and list the
  following
• Reasons why the Berlin Wall was built
• What did the Wall look like?
• Ways in which US USSR used the Berlin Wall for
  propaganda

4
Reasons why the Berlin Wall was built

• Prevent spread of western ideas to Communist
  countries in East
• Prevent emigration of East Germans to West (esp.
  young, skilled workers professionals 1945-61,
  500 people a day between 1945 and 1961 3 million
  people emigrated from Germ. Democratic Republic
  E.Germ. to Federal Republic of Germ W.Germ.)

5
What did the Berlin Wall look like?

• Erich Honecker, President of E. Germ, blocked
  off East Berlin from West Berlin with barbed wire
  and anti-tank obstacles (13 Aug. 1961)
• The wall was 166 km long, 3.65m. tall long cut
  through 192 streets
• Made of concrete modules 1.2m wide
• 100s killed trying to cross (last Chris Gueffroy
  on the 2nd June, 1989

6
? starter activity
Watch the film clip showing the construction of
the Berlin Wall. One half of the class must write
the commentary from a Soviet perspective the
other half from a western one.
7
Ways in which US USSR used the Berlin Wall for
propaganda

• US suggested wall was to stop mass exodus from
  Communist states
• 1963, JFK gave his famous Ich bin ein Berliner
  speech
• USSR, preventing loss of skilled workforce
  protecting E. Berliners

Why do people often talk about Kennedy's speech
as a key moment in the history of the last
century?
8
? Your task- divide the class in two a write a
short press release about the construction of the
Berlin Wall in 1961

• Write a short press release explaining why the
  USSR has built the Berlin Wall
• Describe its engineering feats
• Explain the reasons for its construction
• Explain why people might have been tempted to
  emigrate to W. Berlin
• Criticise Kennedys famous speech to the people
  of W. Berlin

• Write a short press release explaining why the
  West thinks the Berlin Wall is such a bad thing.
• Explain why walls are such potent symbols
• Say why you think people are emigrating to W.
  Berlin
• Describe the sheer scale of the project
• Praise Kennedys speech

9
Plenary - A love poem to the Berlin Wall!

• The Berlin Wall, you gave me a meaning
• The Berlin Wall, you gave me a meaning in life.
  You, my dear, have made me so happy. My dear
  Berlin Wall, you make me crazy of love for You!
  All I want is to be close to you. The Berlin
  Wall, you are so magnificent, You are so sexy.
  I enjoy every moment I'm together with you.
  The Berlin Wall, you mean ALL to me!
• For more visit http//www.berlinermauer.se/Berlin
  Wall/