1. The Berlin Wall By Jim Olsen

2. My Life and the Berlin Wall Jim Olsen born 1956. The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961 by the communist government, to make it impossible for East Germans to leave their country.

3. Berlin, 1961. Berlin Wall at Zimmerstrasse. West Berliners watching over the Wall to the East.

4. Berlin Wall being built – separation.

5. Berlin. Bernauer Strasse/Brunnenstrasse View from West to East Berlin.

6. Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie View from West to East Berlin, 1961

7. Standoff between US and Soviet tanks at Checkpoint Charlie, 1961.

8. In sixth grade my social studies teacher showed slides of her visit to Berlin. My first encounter with the Berlin Wall. This is what she described.

9. Berlin, Potsdamer Platz, 60s

11. Brandenburg Gate photographed through the barbed wire there, from the West Berlin, April 1963

12. Checkpoint Charlie Berlin, April 1963

13. Berlin, 1963. John F. Kennedy visiting Berlin on June 26, 1963.

14. JFK gave his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkberliner.html

15. President Kennedy says, “Ich bin ein Berliner.” (I am a Berliner) – I support you. Due to the Allied Air Lift, from a few years prior, and President Kennedy’s support, West Berlin remained a vigorous and healthy city. Berlin, unfortunately, remained divided.

16. In the last phase of the wall's development, the "death strip" between fence and concrete wall.

17. East Germans were killed if they tried to escape.

18. In the summer of 1972 I traveled to Berlin with my family (my second encounter). This is the sight I saw.

19. Brandenburg Gate View from West Berlin to East Berlin

20. Berliner Mauer, Berlin 1983.

21. In 1985 I took a group of students to Germany (3 rd encounter). This is what I saw.

22. United States President Ronald Reagan delivers his famed "Tear Down This Wall" speech at the Berlin Wall in June of 1987, in which he called for Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the wall. http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganbrandenburggate.htm

23. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came DOWN!!

24. My friend sent be a post card showing people walking under the Brandenburg Gate for the first time since 1961. My 4 th encounter.

25. In summer 2007 I took my family to Berlin. My 5 th encounter. It was awesome!

26. Here we are at the Hard Rock Café, Berlin with my friend, Heinz.

27. They have the line marked where the Wall stood.

29. Potsdamer Platz has been restored. They have kept a section of the Wall.

30. Potsdamer Platz restored.

31. Potsdamer Platz Sony Center 2007

32. Checkpoint Charlie today.

34. Photo taken of my children with a relic of past communist oppression.

35. Brandenburg Gate, 2007.

36. Here I am, proudly walking under the Brandenburger Gate. Something I did not think I’d be able to do in my lifetime.

37. I am thankful the Berlin Wall is no more. I am thankful for freedom.