Free Air Berlin: Of A Wall And A Walnut Tree

By Richard Eric Johnson

A Synopsis -

The beginning of the Berlin Wall story occurs in the aftermath of World War II. All of Germany

is in ruins. Millions of Germans have been dislocated. The victorious Allies do not agree how

best to govern the sectors into which Germany has been divided. A Cold War erupts and an Iron

Curtain divide

• Language: English
• Publisher: Poets Choice
• Release date: Sep 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9789395193108

Book preview

Free_Air_Berlin_book_cover_front.jpg

Copyright © 2022, Richard Eric Johnson

All Rights Reserved

Poets Choice Publication

www.poetschoice.in

First Edition August 2022

Cover Design by Koni Deraz, Germany

Book Design by Adil Ilyas, Pakistan

Selection Editor Rebecca Jaisingh, India

Front Cover Art by Richard Eric Johnson

Back Cover Photo of former USASA site Teufelsberg by Hans Peter Otto

ISBN: 978-93-95193-10-8

BCID: 627-16648958

Price: $25

Dedication

Berliners East

Berliners West

All the Sector Soldiers

My Comrades on Teufelsberg

(Devil’s Mountain)

Survivors of The Wall

The Children Playing

Around a Walnut Tree

Myra, Ellie, Sarah, Sydney, and Hannah

And Laura Lynn

of my always enchanted

Forest

Dedication

Introduction

About the Author

Acronyms

Relevant Chronology

Poetry Index

Part One 1945-1961 Wall on the Way

Part Two August 12-13, 1961 Wall Under Way

Part Three (1961-1989) Wall in the Way

Part Four (1989 onward)

Addendum I

Addendum II

Addendum III

Afterword

Resources and Sites for Research

Recommended Reading

Acknowledgements

Introduction

During the night of August 12-13, 1961, elements of the East German National People’s Army, Border Police, Volkspolizei (People’s Police), and Combat Troops of the Working Class, began erecting a wall around West Berlin. The border between East and West Germany was also sealed by order of the East German Government.

People were separated indefinitely, perhaps forever many thought, from friends, family, colleagues, occupations, schools, plans and dreams.

Between 1950 and 1989, 4 million East Germans migrated by varying means to the West. Just under 3.5 million were able to exit the East before the construction of The Wall and sealing of the border in 1961. Between 1961 and 1989, when The Wall came down and the boarder reopened, over 5,000 East Germans managed to escape—about 111 per month. Only 4.6% of all the attempted escapes were successful. One hundred and thirty-eight people died, or about 1 per month. The victims ranged in age from 1 to 80.

The people trying to escape had different motivations, but most sought freedom from political oppression. A few fled from psychological pressures, domestic strife or even criminal activity. A very few fled from the West to the East. Nine were shot and most were imprisoned. Some of those fleeing from both sides were spies.

Through years of negotiations more than 500,000 people were able to exit the East with legal permits. Most of these migrants were ransomed—the West paying varying sums depending on circumstances, but none were cheap. The ransom practice was no small part