The West Berlin Struggle: The Berlin Wall
8/1961
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At the end of World War II, Germany was divided into zones of occupation controlled by the Allied Powers: the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. The city of Berlin – nestled inside the Soviet zone of occupation – was divided into sectors, each controlled by a separate Allied Power. As tensions grew between the Soviet-controlled East and Western-controlled West, the boundaries became more defined.
Construction of the Berlin Wall began in August 1961. On August 12, 1961 Walter Ulbricht, the first Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party and acting East German head of state, signed an order closing the border and erecting a wall. At midnight, the police and East German army began to close the border and by August 13, the border with West Berlin was closed. East Germans could no longer travel or emigrate to West Germany. Berlin went from being the easiest place to make an unauthorized crossing between East and West Germany to being the most difficult. Families were split and East Berliners employed in the West were cut off from their jobs.
This clip comes from the film The West Berlin Struggle, part of The Big Picture documentary television series that was produced by the United States Army Signal Corps.
Construction of the Berlin Wall began in August 1961. On August 12, 1961 Walter Ulbricht, the first Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party and acting East German head of state, signed an order closing the border and erecting a wall. At midnight, the police and East German army began to close the border and by August 13, the border with West Berlin was closed. East Germans could no longer travel or emigrate to West Germany. Berlin went from being the easiest place to make an unauthorized crossing between East and West Germany to being the most difficult. Families were split and East Berliners employed in the West were cut off from their jobs.
This clip comes from the film The West Berlin Struggle, part of The Big Picture documentary television series that was produced by the United States Army Signal Corps.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 2569836
Full Citation: Motion Picture 111-TV-628; The West Berlin Struggle; 8/1961; Motion Picture Films From "The Big Picture" Television Program Series, ca. 1950 - ca. 1975; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group 111; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/west-berlin-struggle-wall, October 9, 2024]Rights: Copyright Not Evaluated Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
