1. MILLIE AND VERONICA Report on the fall of the Berlin wall (1989)

2. The reasons the Berlin wall was built The Berlin wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (made on the 13th August 1961) that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, known as the "death strip", that contained anti-vehicle trenches, "fakir beds" and other defenses. The Eastern Bloc claimed that the wall was made to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" in building a socialist state in East Germany. The Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that marked Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period. Checkpoint Charlie (or "Checkpoint C") was the name given by the Western Allies to the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War.

3. Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan: American president that challenged Mikhail Gorbachev (USSR President) to tear down the Berlin Wall. On June 12, 1987 Reagan made his speech at the Brandenburg Gate at 2:00 p.m. in front of two panes of bulletproof glass protecting him from potential snipers in East Berlin. About 45,000 people were in there. “We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr Gorbachev, Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall! “ Later on in his speech, President Reagan said, "As I looked out a moment ago from the Reichstag, that embodiment of German unity, I noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner, 'This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality.' Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom."

4. Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev- USSR president at the time of Berlin Wall collapse. “The Berlin Wall was a mark of contradictions in the world, and it became a mark of radical changes in the world which touched the majority of humankind. But the way towards abolishing it was long and painful.”

5. Erich Honecker Erich Honecker- East German communist leader who built the berlin wall. Lived in Chile with his wife and his daughter's family since January, 1993, when Berlin judges ruled he was too ill to stand trial in connection with shootings at the Berlin Wall.

6. The Stasi The Stasi- The ministry for State Security. The Stasi was one of the most hated and feared institutions of the East German communist government. The Stasi developed out of the internal security and police apparatus established in the Soviet zone of occupation in Germany after World War two. It was based on the model of USSR’s KGB. The institution was established in 1950’s and was dissolved in 1990 with many workers of the institution being executed after the institution was dissolved.

7. Summary Summary of the writing: Informative style of writing to inform the world on the fall of the Berlin Wall Shows the felling of East Berliners in relation to the event The article is written showing how the event changed the country and let it’s people free Emotive reaction of the citizens shown in the article “the first aid teams were on hand to help some people who fainted with emotion”. The article is full of opinions, direct quotes of the people that have gone across the border as well as the body guards. Very little of personal opinion is present from the writer.

8. Re-casting task Use the information in the ‘report of the fall of the Berlin wall’ to make a Wikipedia entry about the Berlin wall, from ‘the development surprised the west’ to ‘with the enormous queues that will be coming’.