Berlin A City Divided

An Ultimatum 10 November 1958 –Khrushchev, in a public speech, insisted that the military occupation of Berlin should come to an end. –He Demanded that the Western powers join in signing a peace treaty recognising the existence of TWO Germany's – Berlin should become a “free city”, that is from the presence of the West.

Basically it was –Agree to withdraw or be kicked out.

West Response Ultimatum landed like a bombshell A no surrender line had been drawn at Berlin. 10 years earlier was the Berlin airlift Confirmed the West’s determination to hold this advance base against communism. Still evident in 1958 Prevent a permanent division of Germany into two separate states.

Why was Khrushchev acting? Concerned by a lack of formal German peace settlement 13 years after the end of the war. West Germany was in the midst of an “economic miracle” No 1 reason though was a unified, capitalist Germany, armed with nuclear weapons and backed by the US, raised the spectre of an aggressive Germany laying waste to the Soviet Union.

Khrushchev was committed to establishing a communist state in east Germany. He was a supporter of Walter Ulbricht, Leader of East Germany. West German’s were heirs to Hitler’s ambitions then East Germany symbolically justified Soviet War scarifies. Believed Communism would prevail over Capitalism.

Brain Drain Every year tens of thousands of east Germans fled to capitalist West Germany 1953 – 300, – 156,000 East Germany had constructed a formidable frontier with watchtowers, barb wire, minefields and armed patrols.

Berlin was easy escape route, no border patrols, virtually unrestricted. The vast majority of refugees were young and skilled. More than ½ were under 25 3 out of 4 were under 40

Why were people escaping? In Berlin 1960, it was a tale of two cities.

West Berlin The rubble of war had mostly been cleared. Kurfursten damm (famous street in west berlin) was full of shops, houses, hotels and restaurants. Hilton hotel was built in west Berlin.

East Berlin The destruction of the war was still evident Buildings stood derelict, next to spaces where others had been destroyed Drab new apartment blocks An east Berliner who could afford the luxury of a refrigerator would have to wait a year, washing machines 2 years.

The need for Soviet Intervention Between 1949 and 1961, 2.8 million Germans crossed to the west. 1/6 of the population abandoned the East Caused panic in the East Humiliating sign of the failure of the East but also a huge labour shortage.