The document summarizes the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. It provides background on how East Germany surrounded West Berlin with a concrete wall, separating the two sides. The editorial criticizes the wall as unjustified and unreasonable, saying it was built without notice and will not solve East Germany's economic and political problems. It argues that a wall stops dialogue and will not unite the German people like it aims to do.

1. West Berlin Post August 18, 1961
BERLIN WALL: WEST BERLIN
GHETTO??
by Ayaka Nishimura wall, spies could cross easily to future of two Germanys? The
Yesterday, the wall built at the East Berlin. “In 1960 there Wall does not speak.
border between East and West were about 80 spy centers and
Berlin by the East Germans similar organizations working EDITORIAL
was completed. West Berlin is against the Eastern block. This
Ber lin Wall Unjustified
now surrounded by the wall kind of spy war is sometimes
which is made of concrete called "The Silence War"” The building of the Berlin Wall
blocks, four meters high and 111 (Mauer). is not justified! The East
kilometers long. Three days ago Germans should break this
the border between the Soviet Berlin Wall as soon as they can.
and western sections was Soviets and East Germans one-
suddenly closed with barbed sidedly built the Berlin Wall
wire by Soviet and East which was done without any
Germans. People from West notice beforehand: it is a
Berlin objected to Soviet and shocking thing for West
East Germans, yet they did not Berliners. East Germany did
attempt to break the border. such an absurd thing because
After three days, the barbed East Germany faces a crisis by
wire was begun to be replaced a lot of East German’s taking
with a wall of concrete blocks refuge in West Germany. Even
(Brooman). According to the though East Germans have a
purpose to prevent East
Making Berlin Wall (Mauer) Germans from escaping to West
Germany, it is still a crafty and
After the end of World War II, unreasonable thing to do.
the rest parts of Nazi Germany,
west of the Oder-Neisse line,
were divided into four zones.
The Allied powers including
Americans, Soviets, French and
“The West Berlin Ghetto” the British taken those divided
(“German Unification” ) areas. Even though the city was
suited in the inland of the (“Cartoon Stock”)
West Berlin government, the Soviet area, the capital of Building of the Berlin Wall is
wall was built because of Germany was also divided into not justified if we think about
economic and political problem four sections. However, the people’s lives. The living
reasons. For economy, DDR lost American, British and French standard of West Germany is
money because a lot of skilled areas united their areas much better than East
workers and well-educated together, to form the Federal Germany. West Germany has
people from East Germany Republic of Germany and West better economy because they
moved to West Berlin which Berlin in 1949, when the Cold have a democratic government
made a brain drain, and many War took place. The Soviet area supported by the U.S., Great
worked here in West Berlin but formed German Democratic Britain and France. However,
lived in East Berlin (it’s cheaper Republic (included East Berlin). East Germany has a
there). During the past ten The Berlin Wall means communistic government,
years, Berlin has been a spy two Germanys and two Berlins supported by the Soviet Union,
center for West to spy on the are now two countries. What which makes the economy
communist countries. With no does the Berlin Wall mean for worse. Therefore, East

2. Germany must make changes in
their government and economy
so East Germans will not want
to escape. The wall proves to all
Berliners that East is not well.
A wall is not the answer. We are
all Berliners! We must solve
problems together. The wall
stops dialogue! The wall will not
solve anything. Did we not
learn anything from WWII?