Barbed wire soon replaced with massive stone wall 45km long and 3.6m wide. Built slightly within East Germany borders.
During building process, soldiers ordered to kill anyone trying to deflect.
Completely sealed off boundaries and separated families and friends.
60,000 commuters travelled daily from East to West for work now couldn't travel.
ANyone trying to cross the wall was shot. In the first year, more than 40 killed.
Some managed to avoid the guards and escape in the early days, but security strengthened and tunnels and other inventive methods appeared.
8 border crossings set up, including Checkpoint Charlie. Visits were allowed but only with a permit. Harder to obtain permit when travelling from East to West.
Reduced number of defectors, West accepted wall with just a protest. Propaganda victory for West: communism had to use cages to stop people escaping.
Comments
No comments have yet been made