Construction & Timeline
In what year was the Berlin Wall constructed?
1961
Leader of the Soviet Union during the wall’s construction.
Nikita Khrushchev
The economic system of East Germany.
Communism (planned economy)
Many tried to escape from East to West Berlin using these underground passages.
Tunnels
What year did the Berlin Wall fall?
1989
This country built the Berlin Wall.
East Germany (GDR)
U.S. President who famously said, “Ich bin ein Berliner".
John F. Kennedy
This Allied nation controlled West Berlin along with the U.S. and France.
The United Kingdom
True or False: All escape attempts were successful.
False
What was the month the wall fell?
November
The Berlin Wall was a symbol of this broader geopolitical conflict.
The Cold War
East German leader who ordered the wall’s construction.
Walter Ulbricht
East Berliners needed this to visit West Berlin (which was rarely granted).
Exit visas or travel permits
This escape method involved flying over the wall.
Hot air balloon
The fall of the Wall led to the reunification of Germany in this year.
1990
The wall physically separated these two parts of the city.
East Berlin and West Berlin
West German chancellor who led during the wall's early years.
Konrad Adenauer
What was the name of the East German secret police?
The Stasi
The number of successful escapes is estimated to be in this range.
Around 5,000
A miscommunication at this East German press conference sparked the opening of the borders.
Schabowski press conference
This was the exact date the Berlin Wall began construction.
August 13, 1961
U.S. President who said “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
Ronald Reagan
Term for the heavily guarded area along the Wall with barbed wire, floodlights, and dogs.
Death Strip
This young man was the first person shot and killed trying to cross the wall in 1961.
Günter Litfin
What was the name given to people who began chipping away at the Wall after it opened?
Mauerspechte (“Wallpeckers”)