History Day - Process Paper

Example Process Paper
Junior Group

The Wall:
Dividing Friends, Separating Families

Lynsey Serpa
Aurora Odelberg

Junior Group Performance

Process Paper

When we began looking for a topic for History Day, we decided we wanted one with emotional impact. Our teacher suggested, the fall of The Berlin Wall, which happened just ten years ago. It sounded both interesting and emotional. We were immediately hooked, and began researching.

We began our research at the Humboldt County, and Humboldt State University libraries, where we found books, primary magazines, and newspaper articles. We wrote a letter of inquiry to Checkpoint "Charlie," which was the main crossing point from East to West Berlin. We received some historical background about the Checkpoint, and the Wall. We also wrote the Allied Museum, and received some addresses we could write for more information.

We interviewed Elsa and Bill Carlson, who visited East Berlin in 1964. They told us how dangerous and scary it was in East Berlin. There were many armed guards posted, and tank barrels followed your every move as you walked down the street. We interviewed Christiana Fuiniss, who was born in West Berlin and lived with the Wall for seven years. From Christiana, we heard first hand descriptions of the S-Bon, and of the contrasts between East and West Berlin that we used in our performance. We also interviewed Dr. Sterling Evans, a history professor at Humboldt State University. He defined and explained Communism, and made It much easier for us to understand.

We e-mailed Stephen Erickson, who lives in East Berlin. He said, "I like East Berlin better than the West, because the consumer society is still less dominant here. I think that the people of East Berlin are more real because they take life as it presents itself."

We wrote our script including additional information from books, videos, and interviews, including actual quotes.

We received costume pieces from community members, and support from everyone!

The Berlin Wall was built by the Soviet and East German governments, to keep the East German citizens from leaving the Communist portion of the country.

Because of Communism, a depressed economic system, and an oppressive government, East German people were eager to flee to the freedoms and abundance of the West.

Since so many people wanted to leave, the Communists decided to build a wall. Known as the "Wall of Shame", the Berlin Wall divided the city, and created suffering for thousands of people. For 28 years, people of Berlin, Germany, and the world, lived with the wall.

In the 1980's, because of a shortage of goods, and lack of freedom, the Soviet and East German governments began to collapse.

When the Hungarian border opened in 1989, Germans went through that country to get to the West. In order to keep the remaining people from fleeing, the government realized, It had to open the Wall, and the world to the East Germans.

Germany was reunited in 1990. Reunification has not been easy. But the Germans are solving their problems and forging ahead.

Bibliography

Primary Resources

Artifact

Artifact. Collection of black and white photographs of the Berlin Wall. 1964, West Berlin, Germany.

A friend of ours, Bill Carlson, visited East Berlin in 1964, and bought this souvenir packet of photos. These photographs were taken when the wall was only 2 or 3 years old. Some were of checkpoints on East and West Berlin, which showed the guards inspecting the cars that wanted to go through.

Something that we learned, was that if the wall went through a building, such as the Reconciliation Church on Bernauer Street, the windows were bricked up with the same bricks used on the wall. Some people on the East used that as an escape, by pushing bricks out and Jumping to the other side. Everywhere you looked there were guards and/or tanks. On top of the wall there was mostly barbed wire, but some places had pieces of broken glass mounted on top. Seeing actual pictures of the wall made us realize how frustrating it would be to live with the wall.

Books

Brandt, Willy. My Road To Berlin. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and company, Inc., 1960.

We learned that the year 1948 was a turning point in history for Berlin, Germany, and Europe. It was the year of the Berlin blockade, which was the first attempt to separate East and West. It was also the year of the airlift, which was when Americans started bringing food and supplies to neglected West Berlin.

Camp, Glen D. Jr. Berlin In The East-West Struggle: 1958-1961. New York: Facts On File Inc., 1971.

We learned that during 1960, the Soviet communist party chief, Nikita Khrushchev, threatened Berlin by saying that a third World War, would follow if the West didn't sign an agreement to turn Berlin into a Soviet city. Khrushchev threatened Berlin again, by indicating that on Jan.28, the USSR would sign a peace treaty with East Germany unless his proposal was accepted. The Soviets said that the Western powers could avoid these disasters by agreeing to a summit meeting.

Clare, George. Before The Wall: Berlin Day. Dutton, New York: A William Aberahams Book, 1989.

This book is about George's experience of going to Berlin, in 1946. He said that when he arrived, it was the most fantastic place on Earth.

Francisco, Ronald A. Berlin Between Two Worlds. London: West View Press, 1986.

We learned that the construction of the Berlin Wall was sometimes referred to as a watershed, because "Watershed" means a dividing point. The wall was one event in a long series of situations, in which East and West citizens learned to live with each other.

Gelb, Norman. The Berlin Wall New York: Times Books, 1986.

"Grim and forbidding, the Wall snakes through the city of Berlin like the backdrop of a nightmare. Tears have been shed here, curses uttered, threats snarled, blood spilled, and lives snuffed out. The wall has been standing a long time now, more than two decades."

This book and its descriptions told how lives were taken, and families destroyed.

Merritt, Richard L. and Anna S. Merritt. Living With The Wall: West Berlin. 1961-1985. North Carolina: Duke University Press, 1985.

This book was written before the wall came down. It says "West Berlin has proved that with support from the Federal Republic of Germany, it can live with the Wall, and West Berliners are making the adjustments that life in its shadow requires."

To some measure they even shut the walls existence out of their minds, in the belief that by ignoring it, the wall would disappear. During the time the wall was up, Fredrico Garcia Lorca, wrote, "I have shut my balcony, because I do not want to hear the weeping, but from behind the gray walls, nothing else can be heard, but the weeping."

Shilaim, Avi. The United States And The Berlin Blockade. 1948-1949, Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1983.

The Soviet block on the Western sectors of Berlin, on June 24, 1948, created a "crisis" for the United States. The American decision- makers were not surprised by the occurrence of this "crisis" since they received lots of warning that the West might be prepared to act. Although the exact timing of the blockade was not predicted, the Americans were well aware from Dec.1947, of the possibility that the Russians might try and move the Western powers from Berlin.

Shirer, William L. The Rise And Fall Of Adolf Hitler. New York: Random House, 1961.

At the beginning of 1933 Hitler was Just a chancellor. It took Hitler a year and a half to become absolute dictator of Germany. By destroying the historic states, Hitler unified the nation for the first time in history.

Sutterlin, James S. Berlin. New York: Praeger, 1989.

This primary book, Berlin, had letters from the allies to West chancellor, Willy Brandt, about the Quadripartite agreement. The Quadripartite agreement was the agreement for the division of Germany, and Berlin, into four zones, for America, Britain, France, and Russia.

Newspaper Articles

Author unknown. "Berlin." New York Times, 8 September 1961, Page 30.

This was a news article written during the first year of the wall. The article describes the wall as a "monstrous Guillotine." It tells how the Berlin wall had slashed the arteries and nerves of Berlin. It cut through sewers and subways. The wall had separated sons from mothers, wives from husbands, and friends from friends. East and West Berlin had to learn to live with this border, known as the "Wall of Shame." People considered it a rare privilege to see a friend or relative that had recently been their neighbor.

Author unknown. "Eisler Calls Ban Rigid." New York Times, 14 August 1961, page 6.

This article was about a broadcast that East Germany's propaganda chief, Gerhard Eisler, sent out to the East Germans. In it Eilser said that most likely, the people of West Berlin were going to try to remove the ban that stated that no Eastern citizen could travel to the West. It also said that the communist countries were going to stand together and defend the border.

Author unknown. "French Show Great Concern." New York Times, 14 August 1961, page 6.

In this article, we learned how much the French cared about what was going on in Berlin. They took the wall and communist problems very seriously. The French paid close attention to what was happening around 1961 and even notified their minister Maurice Couve de Murville who was vacationing in the South. Because of this information he came home to Paris the next day. We were amazed by how much the French cared for Berlin.

Author unknown. "Moscow Tells Soviet People." New York Times, 13 August 1961.

This article in the New York Times was about the radio station in Moscow telling Soviet citizens about the communists blocking off West Berlin's borders to the East Germans. The announcement came over 12 hours alter the closing of the borders. The Soviet citizens were uninformed about the large number of refugees, who were fleeing the East to get to West Germany.

Author unknown. "One Red Guard Ready to Aim. Fire and Miss." New York Times. 13 August 1961.

This article explained that not all of the communist police officers were enthusiastically supporting the travel barriers in Berlin. An East German reporter for the refugee camp said that he asked a police officer, on duty, "What would you do, comrade, if I ran over to the West?"

"I'd shoot, into the air. But I'm not sure what my comrades would do." The East German didn't run, but he did find some bushes which had not been blocked off yet.

Author unknown. "Radio Free Europe Reports On Berlin." New York Times, 13 August 1961.

This article was about a radio broadcast, which told about the situation Berlin was in on August 12. The news, or broadcasts were also beamed to Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria. Hungary. Poland, and Rumania, in the countries five languages. They included eyewitness accounts about the movement of communist tanks, soldiers, and police men, to quell any uprising by the people of East Berlin.

Author unknown. "Reds Arrest 3 U.S. Men." New York Times, 14 August 1961.

This article simply stated the names of 3 U.S. camera men, who were arrested for taking pictures of the scaling of the Berlin border.

Author unknown. "Says "Real Tests" Have Begun." New York Times, 14 August 1961.

In this article the expression "Real Tests" used by mayor Brandt, refers to how much the citizens of East and West Berlin could handle. It says that the hope among all officials there, was that the East Germans would not rise. They feared that some minor incident of the kinds reported off and on during the day, could touch off a major clash that would bring heavily armed East German and Soviet troops into action.

The flood of refugees from East Berlin escaping through the city border grew higher and higher, angering the Russians to the point where Western officials expected communists to act. But when the "escape routes" were closed, it devastated everyone. The communists struck directly at the gate of the "escape routes" into West Berlin, the long and intricate city border that weaves through the streets and fields, along canals, open roads and ruins, In some places, houses have their front door in East Berlin, and their back door in the West. This really made us realize how weird and frustrating it would be, to have to live under such circumstances.

Author unknown. "To Washington." New York Times, 15 August 1961.

This newspaper article was written the day they started building the wall. It compares the crisis of the wall to the East German uprising in 1953, or the Hungarian revolt in 1956, by saying "The current crisis of Berlin had yet to reach the same proportions."

Unpublished Interviews

Carlson, Bill. Interviewed by Lynsey Serpa and Aurora Odelberg. 16 December 1999. Maple Creek, California.

Bill Carlson is our woodworking instructor at Maple Creek School. Bill went to Berlin in 1964. He said that when he crossed Checkpoint Charlie, on one side of the checkpoint were U.S. tanks pointing towards the Soviet side, and on the other side, Soviet tanks were pointing towards the U.S. tanks. He also brought back a picture collection souvenir from West Berlin with pictures of the angry looking tanks and monstrous wall. It really made us get a feel for how scary and dangerous it would be to live in East Berlin.

Carlson, Elsa. Interviewed by Lynsey Serpa and Aurora Odelberg. 15 December 1999. Phone interview. Maple Creek to Hawaii.

Elsa Carlson visited East Berlin in 1964, to meet a cousin whom she had never met. Before crossing Checkpoint Charlie, she dressed up in old -bag woman clothing, so that she wouldn't stand out that much as an American. She thought that all around her were secret police and Russian spies, who would inch in closer to her as she was greeting and talking to her cousin. Elsa and her cousin then went to a German cafe that was filled with Russian soldiers. Elsa's cousin told her that the only private place was the zoo. So they went there. While at the zoo, Elsa and her cousin had to hide in a large bush, so that she could give her cousin the nylons, sugar, coffee, and chocolate that he had previously asked for. These things were not available in East Berlin. Elsa and her cousin didn't get to converse very long because he told her that he felt that he could not speak honestly because of his fear of someone listening in. Before Elsa and her cousin said their goodbyes, he told her that "Living in the East was like being a caged animal in a zoo; you feel as if you can move, but you really can't." Elsa was the first person who really sparked our interest in our topic.

Erickson, Stephen. E-mail Interview by Lynsey Serpa and Aurora Odelberg. 28 December 1999. Maple Creek CA. to East Berlin Germany.

We were able to get a hold of Stephen Erickson, because we know a friend of his. In 1984 Stephen had to go to West Berlin for work, to learn about a particular style of radio documentary making. He said that he walked along the wall, went to Checkpoint "Charlie", peered across, and climbed the observation tower, to get a better view of East Berlin. Later Stephen went back to East Berlin and is now living there with a lady named Brigitte. Stephen said that he likes East Berlin better than the West, because it's not as commercialized. He also said that the people in the East seem more real, because they don't have such high expectations of life, like the West.

Fuiniss, Christiana. Interviewed by Lynsey Serpa and Aurora Odelberg. 8 January 2000. Arcata, CA.

Christiana was born after the construction of the wall: she lived in West Berlin. Christiana was only seven when she moved to a different town, further from the wall. She also had all her family with her, so wasn't really interested in the forbidden Eastern side. Something that she does remember, is the lack of goods in the Eastern side. While she ate the imported oranges and bananas from her produce stand, she recalls nothing but turnips, carrots, and potatoes for the East. She also said that while the West was completely Westernized, with good cotton and fancy bell bottoms pants. The East had very little cotton, and poor quality polyester. We considered this interview a real privilege, because Christiana was our first interview with some one who actually experienced living with the wall. From Christiana, we also got our description for the S-Bon, that we used in our performance.

Sterling Evans. Interviewed by Lynsey Serpa and Aurora Odelberg. 20 January 2000. Arcata, CA.

Dr. Sterling Evans was a history professor at Humboldt Sate University. He was extremely helpful in explaining the differences between capitalism and communism. He said that the overall idea of communism was good, because it was an economic system based on putting everyone in middle class, but that it never quite worked out right. Because you could not get ahead by working harder people were not motivated to do their best.

Magazine

Author unknown. "Berlin: Freedom Train." Time, 15 December 1961, 26.

This article was about a young East German, Harry Deterling, a railroad engineer who high bailed a Suburban eight car train with 24 friends and family to West Berlin. Harry got the idea when he heard the communist's plans, which were to tear up 500 yards of the rail line between Albrechtshof and the West Berlin border.

Video

Berlin. Berlin Be Happy. Produced by Deutsche. 36 mm. Wochenschau Gmbh, 1991. Videocassette.

This video had great film footage from 1961, of Berlin, the people, and the wall. It included stories of people separated by the wall. It showed black and white pictures of Berliners trying to cross the wall, or escape through bushes or unguarded barbed wire fences. One 77 year old lady climbed through an apartment window. The East German police were trying to pull her back up and the Westerners were waiting on the ground with a net to catch her. She made it, after a struggle. From this video, we got a quote that we used for one of the sisters.

Cold War. Cold War: After Stalin, 1953-1956. Produced by James Barker. 47 min. Time Warner Company, 1998. Videocassette.

This video had lots of primary film footage for the years of 1953-1956 Many Soviet people thought of Stalin as their father. But he had thousands of Soviets killed, including workers, communist members, and anyone that he considered a threat. After he died9 many Soviets felt lost. Later, when Khrushchev was in power, he gave his famous speech saying that Stalin was a villain. The speech was broadcast on the radio throughout Europe. This video included interviews of Soviets, Polish, British, Germans, and some Americans, who told how they felt when they saw or heard what was happening to Germany.

Important dates between 1960-1969. Days That Shook The World, 1960-1969. Produced and directed by Gary Tarpinian. 45 min. King World Direct Inc. 1995. Videocassette.

This video was actual news reel footage from the years 1960-1969. It showed all the important dates and memorable events that happened between the two dates. It included the first man on the moon, on April 12, 1961, and the USSR's creation of the Berlin Wall, on August 13, 1961. The wall was created because of the constant rivalry that the free sectors and the Soviet sectors were having over Berlin. It showed the actual construction of the wall, brick by brick. It also showed a small child crying at the realization of being separated from her mother, who was on the opposite side of a twelve foot concrete wall.

Important dates between 1980-1989. Days That Shook The World: 1980-1989. Produced and directed by Gary Tarpinian. 45 min. King World Direct Inc. 1995. Videocassette.

This video was real news reel footage, which we found really interesting. It showed the Berlin Wall coming down on November 10, 1989. All the Germans and Berliners looked so happy about this! Thousands of families were reunited and friends talked and cried. Grandparents finally got to meet their grandchildren. Also, everyone took a part in hammering, pounding, cracking, chiseling, and sawing the concrete wail down.

Europe. Europe, The Mighty Continent: How Are The Mighty Fallen? Produced by Peter Morley. 52 min. Time Life Video. 1974. Videocassette.

The majority of this video was news reel footage. It showed the devastation of Europe after World War 2. About 35 million people were killed in the war, and 20 million Europeans were homeless, and on the move, because their homes were destroyed. After the war, four ghosts shadowed Europe; death, famine, tyranny, and war. This video showed footage clippings of all the countries coming together, and forming N.A.T.O. In response to N.A.T.O., the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact. N.A.T.O.'s message was: If you attack one of us, you attack all of us. During the Blockade and Airlift the allies had to bring enough food for 2 million West Berliners.

West Germany. Nations Of The World: West Germany. Produced and directed by Peter Vonzahn. 27 min. National Geographic Society. 1987. Video cassette.

Germany is a big producer of wine. Germany also produces glass, and long lasting, fashionable cars, including Porsche, Mercedes Benz, and Volkswagen. Toys are an important export for West Germany. Sugar beets are a loved plant in Germany, that make for sweet snacks.

Secondary Resources

Books

Bornstein, Jerry, and Chancellor Willie Brandt. The Wall Came Tumbling Down: The Berlin Wall And The Fall Of Communism. Outlet Book company Inc., 1990.

In the 1950's, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev sent word to a foreign minister that there would soon be a mass exodus of people from West Berlin, and that the economy was on the verge of collapse. He also hinted to president Eisenhower that he was willing to risk a war in order to force the West out of the disputed city (Berlin) once and for all. On Aug. 1961, he authorized construction of the Berlin Wall, nicknamed the "Wall of Shame". President J.F.K's visit to West Berlin in June '63, brought hope to many, many, people. In 1989 an East German official made a historic announcement, hinting at the destruction of the wall. Word spread like wildfire through the streets of both Berlins. "The wall is coming down!" When news reached the west German parliament, the legislators spontaneously burst into patriotic song. One person commented about the fall of the wall, by saying.

"It was like Christmas, New years, and Easter rolled into one."

Epier, Dorris,M. The Berlin Wall: How it Rose, and Why it Fell. Mifibrook Press, Brookfield, Connecticut. 1992.

This was one of our most valuable resources, for our own knowledge and for the creation of our script. It was full of great explanations and descriptions of the wall. This book explains the historical causes that led up to the building of the wall. Reading about what the East Germans had to go through was really hard for us to imagine. We can't imagine life without the freedoms Americans take for granted, such as freedom of speech, religion, and travel. Not one East German had the right to any of these. The West had the right to all. It was interesting to read about how East Germans tried everything to get across the wall and be free. A family built their own hot air balloon to sail across the wall, and successfully made it. A butcher strapped sausages and assorted meats all over himself to protect his body from the firing guns. Some people went in sewers or just took the risk of swimming across a river. Over 100 people were killed in attempts to cross the wall.

Hergrove, Jim. The Story of the Unification of Germany. Chudrens Press, Chicago. 1991.

When World War 2 ended in Europe, the German nation was divided into four sections. The four sections were controlled by: America, USSR, Britain, and the French military governors. The city of Berlin, which lay deep within the Soviet zone, was also divided into four sections. Allied leaders agreed to reunite the sections a few years after the end of the war. Almost immediately the Soviet governors began squabbling with the other allied governors. Then the Soviet leaders broke their part of the agreement. They decided to keep control of several Eastern European nations, including, the zone they occupied in Germany. Within only 2-3 months, Russian troops began building an 866 mile, heavily guarded border, that cut Germany into two sections, East and West, known as the "Iron Curtain."

Pluckrose, Henry. Germany. Franklin Watts, Danburg, Connecticut. 1998.

This book is about the life and the landscape of Germany. In the center and South of Germany, there are forest covered hills and high mountains. In the North it is mostly flat land. Eighty one million people live in Germany today. Over 3 million Germans live in Berlin. Others live in other cities, such as Bonn, and Frankfurt, which was one of the largest cities in Germany. Some Germans live in smaller towns and villages. Germany makes a lot of things that Americans use, from washing machines and cars, to lenses used in telescopes.

Steele, Philip. Discovering Germany. Crestwood House, New York. 1993.

This book is an overall look at Germany. It includes some history, culture, and geography. In the 1920's Berlin was a fashionable center of experimental art, drama, film, and jazz. Berlin was famous for its bars, cafes, and sharp humor. The 1930's were also the scene of political troubles, with violent clashes between the communists and the Nazi party. When the Nazis came to power in Germany, they planned war with the rest of Europe. By their defeat, in 1945, Berlin was bombed into rubble.

Encyclopedia

Nault, William H. The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book Inc., 1989. "N.A.T.O." Author unknown.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization provides unified military leadership for the common defense of 16 Western nations. The treaty provides that an armed attack against one or more member nations in Europe or North America, shall be considered an attack on all nations. Twelve nations signed the North Atlantic treaty on April 4, 1949, in Washington D.C. They were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain9 Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and the United States. Greece and Turkey signed the treaty in Oct. 1951, West Germany, in 1954, and Spain, in May, 1982.

Video

Germany. One Nation Undivided: Impressions Of A New Germany. Produced and directed by Thomas Kalamar. 35 min. Inter Continental Hotels. 1991. Videocassette.

In this video one girl recalls playing ball with her friend, passing it back and forth, through the big, thick, barbed wire, one of the first stages of the Berlin Wall. No one thought that the wall was good, and many brave people tried to show their resistance against the wall, by trying to cross it. With that the punishment got worse and worse, until it was death for even attempting to cross it. One West Berliner told a military officer that he needed a telephone and the officer told him that he would have to wait 14 years. The old man then asked if the phone would come before or after noon. And when the officer asked why, the man told him that his plumber would arrive after noon. In East Berlin almost everything that Americans take for granted, such as radio, phones, and freedom, were taken away by the Russians. The Russians even tried to rename "Christmas Angels", "Near end Winged Beings."

East Germans now have the opportunity to learn the English language in school. Before, it was known as the language of the enemy, and wasn't taught.

Eastern Europe. Reunification: Eastern Europe, 10 Years Later. Directed by Chris Gandjbakhch. Produced by Gulliver. 10 mm. 1999. Videocassette.

From this video, we learned about the countries who broke from the Soviet Union, and how they are doing now. This video helped us get a better understanding for how bleak life was in the communist countries. Sometimes the government didn't even get the peoples' salaries to them on time, and most people used the black market to survive.

Berlin. The Wall: 1958-1968. Produced by Cate Haste. 45 min. CNN Productions. 1998. Videocassette.

This video had lots of film footage of the wall and the soldiers guarding it. Many people were interviewed, including a West side soldier, an East side soldier, Khrushchev's advisor, a West Berlin citizen, and many others who built the wail, lived with the wall, or tried to prevent it. An East Berlin citizen, said that her best friend, and herself, were standing by the wall, watching the construction, and talking about what was happening. All of a sudden, her friend just started running towards the barbed wire. An old lady said to her," You're still young, live while you still can."

The woman went running after her friend, who was trying to get through the wire. Lots of West Germans, were there to help them to freedom. This video also showed Kennedy's famous speech, "Ich bin Ein Berliner," and how, when he was done, everyone in the crowd yelled it back. From this video, we got our costume ideas, and the J.F.K. speech that we used in our performance.