Behind the Berlin Wall : East Germany and the Frontiers of Power

## Abstract Few historical changes occur literally overnight, but on 13 August 1961 18 million East Germans awoke to find themselves walled in by an edifice which was to become synonymous with the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. This new history rejects traditional, top‐down approaches to Cold War politics, exploring instead how the border closure affected ordinary East Germans, from workers and farmers to teenagers and even party members, ‘caught out’ by Sunday the Thirteenth. Party, police, and Stasi reports reveal why one in six East Germans fled the country during the 1950s, undermining communist rule and forcing the eleventh‐hour decision by Khrushchev and Ulbricht to build a wall along the Cold War's frontline. Did East Germans resist or come to terms with immurement? Did the communist regime become more or less dictatorial within the confines of the so‐called ‘Antifascist Defence Rampart’? Using film and literature, but also the GDR's losing battle against Beatlemania, Patrick Major's cross‐disciplinary study suggests that popular culture both reinforced and undermined the closed society. Linking external and internal developments, Major argues that the GDR's official quest for international recognition, culminating in Ostpolitik and United Nations membership in the early 1970s, became its undoing, unleashing a human rights movement which fed into, but then broke with, the protests of 1989. After exploring the reasons for the fall of the Wall and reconstructing the heady days of the autumn revolution, the author reflects on the fate of the Wall after 1989, as it moved from demolition into the realm of memory. Few Historical Changes Occur Literally Overnight, But On 13 August 1961 Eighteen Million East Germans Awoke To Find Themselves Walled In By An Edifice Which Was To Become Synonymous With The Cold War: The Berlin Wall. This New History Rejects Traditional, Top-down Approaches To Cold War Politics, Exploring Instead How The Border Closure Affected Ordinary East Germans, From Workers And Farmers To Teenagers And Even Party Members, 'caught Out' By Sunday The Thirteenth. Party, Police And Stasi Reports Reveal Why One In Six East Germans Fled The Country During The 1950s, Undermining Communist Rule And Forcing The Eleventh-hour Decision By Khrushchev And Ulbricht To Build A Wall Along The Cold War's Frontline. Did East Germans Resist Or Come To Terms With Immurement? Did The Communist Regime Become More Or Less Dictatorial Within The Confines Of The So-called 'antifascist Defence Rampart'? Using Film And Literature, But Also The Gdr's Losing Battle Against Beatlemania, Patrick Major's Cross-disciplinary Study Suggests That Popular Culture Both Reinforced And Undermined The Closed Society. Linking External And Internal Developments, Major Argues That The Gdr's Official Quest For International Recognition, Culminating In Ostpolitik And United Nations Membership In The Early 1970s, Became Its Undoing, Unleashing A Human Rights Movement Which Fed Into, But Then Broke With, The Protests Of 1989. After Exploring The Reasons For The Fall Of The Wall And Reconstructing The Heady Days Of The Autumn Revolution, The Author Reflects On The Fate Of The Wall After 1989, As It Moved From Demolition Into The Realm Of Memory.--jacket. Introduction : The Frontiers Of Power -- East Germany's Dual Crisis : Politics And Economics On The Eve Of The Wall -- Crossing The Line : Republikflucht Between Defection And Migration -- Holding The Line : Policing The Open Border -- Walled In : 13 August 1961 -- In The Shadow Of The Wall : Coming To Terms With Communism -- Wanderlust : Travel, Emigration And The Movement -- The Fall Of The Wall : 9 November 1989 -- Seeking Closure : Remembering The Wall. Patrick Major. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.

few Historical Changes Occur Literally Overnight, But On 13 August 1961 Eighteen Million East Germans Awoke To Find Themselves Penned In By An Edifice Which Was To Become Synonymous With The Cold War: The Berlin Wall.

this New History Rejects Traditional, Top-down Approaches To Cold War Politics, Exploring Instead How The Border Closure Affected Ordinary East Germans, From Workers And Farmers To Teenagers And Even Party Members,'caught Out' By Sunday The Thirteenth. Party, Police, And Stasi Reports Reveal Why One In Six East Germans Fled The Country During The 1950s, Undermining Communist Rule And Forcing The Eleventh-hour Decision By Khrushchev And Ulbricht To Build A Wall Along The Cold War's Front Line.

did East Germans Resist Or Come To Terms With Immurement? Did The Communist Regime Become More Or Less Dictatorial Within The Confines Of The So-called 'antifascist Defence Rampart'? Using Film And Literature, But Also The Gdr's Losing Battle Against Beatlemania, Patrick Major's Cross-disciplinary Study Suggests That Popular Culture Both Reinforced And Undermined The Closed Society. Linking External And Internal Developments, Major Argues That The Gdr's Official Quest For International Recognition, Culminating In Ostpolitik And United Nations Membership In The Early 1970s, Become Its Undoing, Unleashing A Human Rights Movement Which Fed Into, But Then Broke With, The Protests Of 1989. After Exploring The Reasons For The Fall Of The Wall And Reconstructing The Heady Days Of The Autumn Revolution, The Author Reflects On The Fate Of The Wall After 1989, As It Moved From Demolition Into The Realm Of Memory.

Few historical changes occur literally overnight, but on August 13 1961 eighteen million East Germans awoke to find themselves walled in by an edifice which was to become synonymous with the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. This new history rejects traditional, top-down approaches to Cold War politics, exploring instead how the border closure affected ordinary East Germans, from workers and farmers to teenagers and even party members, "caught out" by Sunday the Thirteenth. Party, police and Stasi reports reveal why one in six East Germans fled the country during the 1950s, undermining communist rule and forcing the eleventh-hour decision by Khrushchev and Ulbricht to build a wall along the Cold War's frontline. Did East Germans resist or come to terms with immurement? Did the communist regime become more or less dictatorial within the confines of the so-called "Antifascist Defense Rampart?" Using film and literature, but also the GDR's losing battle against Beatlemania, Patrick Major's cross-disciplinary study suggests that popular culture both reinforced and undermined the closed society. Linking external and internal developments, Major argues that the GDR's official quest for international recognition, culminating in Ostpolitik and United Nations membership in the early 1970s, became its undoing, unleashing a human rights movement which fed into, but then broke with, the protests of 1989. After exploring the reasons for the fall of the Wall and reconstructing the heady days of the autumn revolution, the author reflects on the fate of the Wall after 1989, as it moved from demolition into the realm of memory. "Few historical changes occur overnight, but on 13 August 1961 eighteen million East Germans awoke to find themselves walled in by an edifice which was to become synonymous with the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. This new history rejects traditional, top-down approaches to Cold War politics, exploring instead how the border closure affected ordinary East Germans, from workers and farmers to teenagers and even party members, 'caught out' by Sunday the Thirteenth. Party, police, and Stasi reports reveal why one in six East Germans fled the country during the 1950s, undermining communist rule and forcing the eleventh-hour decision by Khrushchev and Ulbricht to build a wall along the Cold War's frontline ... Using film and literature ... Patrick Major's cross-disciplinary study suggests that popular culture both reinforced and undermined the closed society. Linking external and internal developments, Major argues that the ... [German Democratic Republic's] official quest for international recognition, culminating in Ostpolitik and United Nations membership in the early 1970s, became its undoing, unleashing a human rights movement which fed into, but then broke with, the protests of 1989"--Page 4 of cover Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 10 1. Introduction: The Frontiers of Power......Page 16 PART I. BEFORE THE WALL, 1945 – 61......Page 36 2. East Germany’s Dual Crisis: Politics and Economics on the Eve of the Wall......Page 38 3. Crossing the Line: Republikflucht between Defection and Migration......Page 71 4. Holding the Line: Policing the Open Border......Page 104 PART II. BEHIND THE WALL, 1961 – 89......Page 132 5. Walled in: 13 August 1961......Page 134 6. In the Shadow of the Wall: Coming to Terms with Communism......Page 170 7. Wanderlust: Travel, Emigration and the Movement......Page 209 PART III. BEYOND THE WALL......Page 240 8. The Fall of the Wall: 9 November 1989......Page 242 9. Seeking Closure: Remembering the Wall......Page 273 Bibliography......Page 310 D......Page 332 H......Page 333 P......Page 334 U......Page 335 Z......Page 336 Contents 8 List of Illustrations 9 Abbreviations 10 1. Introduction: The Frontiers of Power 16 PART I. BEFORE THE WALL, 1945 – 61 36 2. East Germany’s Dual Crisis: Politics and Economics on the Eve of the Wall 38 3. Crossing the Line: Republikflucht between Defection and Migration 71 4. Holding the Line: Policing the Open Border 104 PART II. BEHIND THE WALL, 1961 – 89 132 5. Walled in: 13 August 1961 134 6. In the Shadow of the Wall: Coming to Terms with Communism 170 7. Wanderlust: Travel, Emigration and the Movement 209 PART III. BEYOND THE WALL 240 8. The Fall of the Wall: 9 November 1989 242 9. Seeking Closure: Remembering the Wall 273 Bibliography 310 Index 332 A 332 B 332 C 332 D 332 E 333 F 333 G 333 H 333 I 334 J 334 K 334 L 334 M 334 N 334 O 334 P 334 R 335 S 335 T 335 U 335 V 336 W 336 Y 336 Z 336 Introduction: The frontiers of power -- pt. 1. Before the wall, 1945-61 -- East Germany's dual crisis : politics and economics on the eve of the wall -- Crossing the line : Republikflucht between defection and migration -- Holding the line : policing the open border -- pt. 2. Behind the wall, 1961-89 -- Walled in : 13 August 1961 -- In the shadow of the wall : coming to terms with communism -- Wanderlust : travel, emigration, and the movement -- pt. 3. Beyond the wall -- The fall of the wall : 9 November 1989 -- Seeking closure : remembering the wall On the 13th of August 1961 18,000,000 East Germans awoke to find themselves walled in by an edifice which was to become synonymous with the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. Patrick Major explores how the border closure affected ordinary East Germans, from workers and farmers to teenagers and even party members, caught out by Sunday the 13th.