The fall of the Berlin Wall

1. The Fall of the Berlin Wall Eastern and Western Germany
Changes in Central and Eastern Europe

2. The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Changes in Central and Eastern Europe
1961-1989
A mass of people
congregated on both sides
with hammers, small tools
and East and West
Berliners greeted one
another to celebrate

3. Soviet Union: Mijail Gorbachov
Nobel peace prize 1990
• 1st President of the Soviet Union 1990 -91 (59% votes)
• Stablished new policies of Glasnot “openess” and
Perestroika (restructuring) they were necesary for
accelerate the economic development that was stalled.
• Reduce ColdWar tensions with President Reagan.
• Announced his proposal for the elimination of nuclear
bombs in Europe.
• Take out the Soviet forces from Afghanistan and in 1988 he said that he will
allow the Eastern bloc nations to freely determine their own internal affairs.
• Gorbachov and G. Bush continued talks in order to find the middle ground
between both groups.
• 1989: elections take place in Poland. Communist rule had already deposed.
• Political initiatives were positive for freedom & democracy but not for
economic policy and they had severe problems such as a debt of $120 billions
and scarce of basic food.
• He reunited with Barack Obama in order to develop better relations.

4. Yugoslavia 1945
Population on 1981
Serbs 36,3%
Croats 19,8%
Muslims 8.9%
Slovens 7,8%
Macedonians 6,0%
Yugoslaves 5,4%
Montenegrins 2,6%
Hungars 1,9%
Others 1,3%

5. The break of Yugoslavia Josip Tito 1945-1980
• Conflict: After WW1 this country had 8 major ethnic
groups: Serbs, Croats, Muslims, Slovenes, Macedonians,
Albanians, Hungarians, and Montenegrins formed this
country.
• After WW2 it became a federation of six republics.
• Slovenia and Croacia declared independence in 1991 after
fighting they freed themselves from Serbian rule.
• In 1992 Bosnia Herzegovina joined Slovenia and Croatia in
declaring independence. Serbia y Montenegro formed a
new Yugoslavia.
• By 1995, the Serbian military controlled 70%of Bosnia
• 1996 Bosnians elected a three person presidency.
• 1999 a Rebellion in Kosovo led NATO actions over
Yugoslavia.
• 2006 a referendum revealed Montenegrins wanted to
separate from Serbia.

6. Yugoslavia Today

7. Germany´s Challenges
• 1987 President Reagan said: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear
down this wall”. Two years later the German leader
(Egon Krenz) turns down the Berlin Wall.
• By 1989 the East German Communist Party had ceased
to exist.
• REUNIFICATION: was officially on October 1990.
• Germany faces serious problems because more than 40
years of communist rule left Easter Germany in ruins.
• WHY reunification of the two Germanys was not easy?

8. Easter Germany was in ruins. The city
was not modernized since WW2.
• railroads
• Highways
• Telephone system
• East Germany industry produced
goods that could not compete in
the global market.
• Differences began growing between
eastern and western citizens
• Rebuilding East bankrupt economy
implied a costly process.
• Kohl raised taxes, inefficient
factories closed and unemployment
increased.
• Unemployment was the highest in
Europe, and the rising inflation was
a problem.

11. Poland and Hungary
Were the first Countries in Eastern Europe with spirit of
change, communist rulers resisted, but Gorbachev not
oppose reform. Polish workers went on strike, demanding
government recognition of their union SOLIDARITY and
millions of Poles supported the action.
• The next year declared the martial law.
• In 1980´s industrial production declined
• Foreign debt rose more than $40 billion.
• Workers demand raises and the legalization of
Solidarity
• The millitary leader agreed and first free election
was possible in 1989-90
• SOLIDARITY defeats Communists with Lech Walesa that became an hero.
• Walesa tried to revive Poland´s bankrupt economy. By the mid-1990s economy
was improving but in 1995 they vote Kwasniewski and Poland became a member
of NATO, provide support in war against terrorism after September 11, 2001
opposed reforms of the free market and supported American-led campaign in
Iraq.

12. Hungary
• Inspired by the changes in Poland, Hungary launched a reform
program .
• A new constitution permitted a multiparty system with free
elections.
• 1990 (a year later) the nation´s voters put a non- Communist
governent in power.
• In 1999 Hungary joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
as a full member
Romania
• By late 1980 only Romania seemed unmoved by the calls for
reform. But they began a protest of their own.
• Communist dictator Ceausescu maintained firm on power and
ordered the army to fire on demonstrators. (massacre in
Timisoara)
• Shocked by the collapse of his power, he attemped to flee, but
he was executed on Christmas Day, 1989.
• Elections have been held regularly since then.

13. Czechoslovaquia
• Czechoslovaquia was also affected by the transformations
but a conservative government led by Milos Jakes resisted
all change so the police arrested several dissidents.
• About 10.000 people demanded democracy and freedom
in the center of Prague. Hundreds were arrested.
• 3 weeks later 25.000 students inspired by the fall of Berlin Wall demanded
reform. Police brutally attacked them.
• 500.000 protesters demanded the end of Communist rule so Milos Jakes
resigned.
• A month later they had a new Parliament.
• Unable to agree on economic policy Slovakia and the Czech Republic split into
two countries on 1993.
• Both Slovakia and Czech Republic joined NATO and the EU.

16. Synonym of
peace, Union,
Democracy
and freedom
Buenos Aires celebra caída del muro de Berlín con dominó gigante
La Ciudad de Buenos Aires replicó este domingo el festejo realizado en Berlín por el
vigésimo aniversario de la caída del Muro, con un dominó gigante de 200 piezas que
fueron pintadas por 800 niños, en el marco de un acuerdo cultural entre ambas
capitales.
El festejo se realizó bajo el lema "La cultura derriba muros" y el secretario de Cultura
porteño, Hernán Lombardi, explicó que la representación del dominó sirve "para
celebrar la caída de un muro pero también para tomar conciencia de los muros que
aún quedan por derribar".
Decenas de pequeños y adolescentes, con pinturas y pinceles de diferentes colores,
le dieron el toque final a los bloques antes de que fueran cayendo acompasadamente
a lo largo de 500 metros en la tradicional avenida De Mayo.

17. Some songs and singers inspired in the Berlin Wall
Elton John “Nikita”
Scorpions “Wind of change”
David Bowie “Heroes”
Pink Floyd “The Wall”
Rogers Waters “ Tears down the wall”

18. "Nikita"
Hey Nikita is it cold
In your little corner of the world
You could roll around the globe
And never find a warmer soul to know
Oh I saw you by the wall
Ten of your tin soldiers in a row
With eyes that looked like ice on fire
The human heart a captive in the snow
Oh Nikita You will never know anything about my home
I'll never know how good it feels to hold you
Nikita I need you so
Oh Nikita is the other side of any given line in time
Counting ten tin soldiers in a row
Oh no, Nikita you'll never know
Do you ever dream of me
Do you ever see the letters that I write
When you look up through the wire
Nikita do you count the stars at night
And if there comes a time
Guns and gates no longer hold you in
And if you're free to make a choice
Just look towards the west and find a friend