We specialize in hard to find items
All Categories
*Price and Stocks may change without prior notice
*Packaging of actual item may differ from photo shown
- Electrical items MAY be 110 volts.
- 7 Day Return Policy
- All products are genuine and original
About What Was The Berlin
Product Description The Berlin Wall finally came down in 1989. Now readers can find out why it was built in the first place; and what it meant for Berliners living on either side of it. Here's the fascinating story of a city divided. In 1961, overnight a concrete border went up, dividing the city of Berlin into two parts - East and West. . The story of the Berlin Wall holds up a mirror to post-WWII politics and the Cold War Era when the United States and the USSR were enemies, always on the verge of war. The wall meant that no one from Communist East Berlin could travel to West Berlin, a free, democratic area. Of course that didn't stop thousands from trying to breech the wall - more than one hundred of them dying in the attempt. (One East Berliner actually ziplined to freedom!) Author Nico Medina explains the spy-vs-spy politics of the time as well as what has happened since the removal of one of the most divisive landmarks in modern history. About the Author Nico Medina is the author of several Who HQ books, including What Was Stonewall?, Where Is Mount Everest?, Where Is Alcatraz?, Who Is Aretha Franklin?, and What Was the Ice Age? Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. What Was the Berlin Wall? Peter Fechter was born in Berlin, the capital city of Germany, in 1944. That was just before the end of World War II. After the war, Germany was divided into eastern and western parts. So was the city of Berlin. Peter grew up on the east side of the city. When Peter was twelve, his oldest sister got married and moved to West Berlin. Two years later, Peter left school and began working as a bricklayer. He hoped to save up enough money to join his sister in West Berlin one day. There were better jobs there, and Peter longed for a better life. For many years, the border between East and West Berlin had been relatively open. Half a million Berliners crossed back and forth every day. Twelve thousand children traveled from East Berlin to West Berlin, to go to school. Even the city’s subway lines crossed the border. But on August 13, 1961, Peter’s dreams of moving to West Berlin were shattered. Suddenly, a wall was built to separate the east and west sides of the city. It was put up by the East Germans. Now, no East Berliners were allowed into West Berlin. The Berlin Wall separated friends and families. People lost their jobs. East Berliners became prisoners in their own city. In 1962, eighteen-year-old Peter decided to escape from East Berlin. Peter’s friend and coworker Helmut Kulbeik also wanted to leave. Over their lunch breaks that summer, the two young men looked for places along the Wall where they might be able to escape into the West. In time, they found a run-down factory. It was only twelve yards from the Wall and just might work. After lunch on August 17, Peter and Helmut sneaked into the building. They planned to wait until nightfall to escape. But around 2:00 p.m., Peter and Helmut heard voices in the factory. They decided to make a run for it, even though it was still daytime. Peter climbed out a small window. As Helmut began to follow, someone entered the room and spotted him. The stranger turned and left without a word. Had they been caught? Helmut scrambled out the window. Peter and Helmut jumped over some barbed wire. Then they sprinted across the “death strip,” the heavily guarded area just before the eight-foot-high Wall. Without warning, two East German guards began shooting. Helmut reached the Wall. He leaped up and hoisted himself over. Before dropping over the edge, he looked back at his friend. Peter stood frozen, as if in shock. “Go on with it, jump!” Helmut yelled, before dropping into the West and escaping to freedom. Peter was not so lucky. A moment later, he was shot and fell to the ground. A crowd of West Berliners gathered at the Wall. They could hear Peter. “Why aren’t you helping me?” he cried out to them. A police offic
