The Fall of the Berlin Wall (Edexcel GCSE History)

Why did the Berlin Wall fall in 1989? - Timeline & Summary

The Berlin Wall had been a symbol of Cold War tension since its creation in 1961. It represented the 'Iron Curtain' that Winston Churchill discussed in 1946. It was a physical and cultural divide between East and West, communism and capitalism, democracy and dictatorship. 

In March 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the new General Secretary of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev attempted to reform and improve the Soviet Union. The citizens of the Soviet Union and the satellite states of Eastern Europe began to speak out against their communist governments. This pressure resulted in the collapse of the Eastern Bloc. After the end of the communist government in Hungary, it became more likely that East Germany and the Berlin Wall would collapse.

Pressure from the USA also helped to bring an end to the Berlin Wall. The  Berlin Wall was a major roadblock for strong US-Soviet relations. In 1987, the US president, Ronald Reagan, gave a speech in West Berlin. He demanded that Gorbachev "tear down" the Berlin Wall. Reagan believed there was a chance that he could end the Cold War with Gorbachev as leader of the Soviet Union. This became a reality as the collapse of the Berlin Wall triggered the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The Influence of Independent Eastern European Countries

• The reforms in Hungary directly influenced the GDR

  • The communist government removed the electrified fence between Hungary and Austria in May 1988

    • Czechoslovakians and East Germans could escape to the West through the open border between Hungary and Austria

• By October 1989, Hungary and Poland had removed their communist governments through elections

  • The Soviet Union did not react or stop the end of communism in Hungary and Poland 

• East Germans began to protest against their communist government

  • The GDR refused to implement democratic reforms

  • The GDR asked for the support of the Soviet Union to repress the protests in October 1989. Gorbachev refused to intervene in East Germany

The end of Travel Restrictions to West Berlin

• The new leader of the GDR, Egon Krenz, attempted to end the protests in East Germany

  • The East German Communist Party met to discuss a new travel policy

    • The meeting decided to make emigration to the West easier by allowing citizens to cross at all border crossings between East and West Berlin

  • On 9th November, the Communist Party announced the plan to the media

    • Upon questioning, a communist representative called Günter Schabowski announced that the new travel policy would begin straight away

    • This was incorrect to what Krenz and the party had agreed upon

  • East and West Berliners crowded the borders in an attempt to cross

    • Border guards could not control the crowds. The guards opened the borders 

    • Thousands of East Berliners crossed to West Berlin on 9th November

    • Both East and West Berliners began to pull parts of the Berlin Wall down

Consequences of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

• The collapse of the Berlin Wall had a significant impact on the lives of Berliners

  • Families were reunited after nearly 30 years apart

    • The media reported scenes of emotional reunions to a worldwide audience

  • Berliners continued to attempt to deconstruct the Berlin Wall

    • Throughout November, Berliners attempted to break down the wall with any available equipment

• The fall of the Berlin Wall had wider political impacts

  • It encouraged more of the Eastern Bloc to break away from communist control

    • By December 1990, there was no longer a Soviet influence in Eastern Europe

  • The collapse of the Berlin Wall became a symbol of the end of the Cold War

    • It improved US-Soviet relations

      • The 'Iron Curtain' no longer existed in Europe

      • There was no need for a confrontational relationship between the USA and the Soviet Union

    • In 1990, Germany was reunified into one country