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Berlin Wall Facts & Worksheets

Also known as Antifaschistischer Schutzwall, the Berlin Wall which separated East and West Berlin was built on August 13, 1961, by the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic.

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Also known as Antifaschistischer Schutzwall, the Berlin Wall which separated East and West Berlin was built on August 13, 1961, by the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic.

See the fact file below for more information on the Berlin Wall or alternatively, you can download our 21-page Berlin Wall worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  • After the Potsdam Conference, Soviet aggression continued in Eastern Europe. Communist governments were forcefully established in Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Romania, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia between 1945 and 1948.
  • In 1946, George Kennan, an official at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, sent The Long Telegram to the U.S. detailing how heavily armed the USSR was.
  • In response, the Novikov Telegram was sent to warn the Americans that the Soviets were emerging as a world power.
  • As a result of Soviet expansion, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill made his famous Iron Curtain speech.
  • In 1947, through the Truman Doctrine, President Harry S. Truman urged the U.S. Congress to fund and support Greece and Turkey in resisting Communist invasion.
  • The Marshall Plan was initiated by Truman. The U.S. government spent $12 billion in financial aid to a number of European countries to help their economies recover. Countries that received financial support included Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ireland, Portugal, and Iceland.
  • The Berlin Blockade lasted for almost 20 days and became one of the major crises faced during the Cold War. The Soviet Union blocked Allied access to West Berlin, which resulted in shortages of commodities including food, medicine, and fuel.
  • Stalin underestimated the resources of the Allies and believed that an airlift was impossible. They set up three air corridors in Berlin but did not shoot any planes down in the time period fearing that it would lead to another war.
  • Despite Stalin’s blockade, many West Berliners attempted to leave the western side of Berlin. The city council and many students and teachers from Berlin University in the East established a new Free University in the West. As a result, Stalin lifted the blockade on May 12, 1949.

PARTITION OF GERMANY AND BUILDING OF THE WALL

  • Germany was divided into East (Communist) and West Germany (under the Allies).
  • West Germany was then called the Federal Republic Germany (FRG) with Bonn as the capital. In order to govern the new country, 11 Länder were created to represent the Federal Parliament.
  • Meanwhile, the USSR formed a separate country called the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1949 with East Berlin as the new capital. It was a one-party Communist state headed by Walter Ulbricht of the Socialist Unity Party (SED).
  • In the 1950’s, the Communist government of East Germany controlled and prevented its citizens from fleeing to the West. Stalin ordered the building of fences and walls to prevent East Berliners from fleeing.
  • Also known as the “inner German border,” the Berlin Wall divided East and West Germany from 1961 until 1989.
  • In August, 1961, the East German government began to build a wall dividing East and West Berlin. The USSR initiated the construction of 1,300 km of barbed wire and stone walls.
  • The East German government feared the appeal of the economic miracle of the East and that its citizens would attempt to move. At the same time, West Germans were alarmed by communism and capitalist spies from the East.
  • In 1961, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev publicly pro- claimed that Berlin was part of East Germany. He also warned the West German government against taking military action.
  • In response to the threat, the West German government decided to also build a wall that they called an “anti-fascist protective wall.” The USSR ordered the placement of fences, trenches, and watchtowers along the wall. Moreover, guards were allowed to shoot anyone who attempted to cross it.
  • When the second barrier was built, the gap between the walls was called the Death Strip. Special crossing points were built and required special permits. Checkpoint Charlie was one of the more popular points where non-Germans could cross to the East.
  • Between 1961 and 1989, hundreds of East Berliners were shot while trying to cross the wall. Guards were given financial rewards for the death of every person trying to escape.
  • In 1963, at the height of the Cold War, U.S. President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin where he delivered his speech Ich bin ein Berliner or I am a Berliner.

Berlin Wall Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Berlin Wall across 21 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Berlin Wall worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Berlin Wall,  also known as Antifaschistischer Schutzwall, which separated East and West Berlin was built on August 13, 1961, by the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Berlin Wall Worksheets
  • Before the Wall
  • Two Germanies
  • East and West Berlin
  • Written in the Wall
  • Berlin Photo Wall
  • Facts on the Wall
  • Open the Gate!
  • One Germany
  • Fall of the Wall

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Berlin build a wall?

The Berlin Wall was built to stop people from leaving East Germany to go to the West. The government said it was built to protect the people and the socialist state, but it was really built to keep people from escaping.

How far did the Berlin Wall go?

By the 1980s, this system of walls and electrified fences had expanded 28 miles through Berlin and 75 miles around West Berlin, completely isolating it from East Germany. The East German government also erected an extensive barrier along most of the 850-mile border between East and West Germany.

How did the Berlin Wall affect the Cold War?

The Berlin Wall would cut off Western influence on the East, prevent people from leaving the Communist Block, and ultimately become Europe’s most iconic symbol of the Cold War. The United States promptly condemned the wall, which divided families and restricted freedom of movement.

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Link will appear as Berlin Wall Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 27, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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