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The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall - Konrad H. Jarausch

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On August 13, 1961, construction workers began tearing up streets and erecting barriers in Berlin. This night marked the beginning of one of history’s most infamous dividing lines: the Berlin Wall. Construction continued for a decade as the wall cut through neighborhoods, separated families, and divided not just Germany, but the world. Konrad H. Jarausch details the history of the Berlin Wall.


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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Konrad H. Jarausch
  • Director Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Animator Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea, Mitko Karakolev
  • Art Director Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea
  • Sound Designer Ana Roman
  • Composer Ana Roman
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Interested in further information on the Berlin Wall and its history? Visit the Berlin Wall Memorial webpage.

What was the point of building this massive barrier in the first place? Hope Harrison’s book, Driving the Soviets up the Wall: Soviet-East German Relations, 1953-1961 (Princeton, 2003), delves into the decision. 

What happened when the Berlin Wall fell? How did this come about? Hans-Hermann Hertle gives an account of the fall of the wall in Der Fall der Mauer: Die unbeabsichtigte Selbstauflösung des SED-Staates (Opladen, 1996). This copy is in German. 

Who were the people most affected by the Berlin Wall? Hans-Hermann Hertle and Maria Nooke give a thorough investigation in The Victims at the Berlin Wall 1961-1989: A Biographical Handbook (Berlin, 2011).

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Konrad H. Jarausch
  • Director Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Animator Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea, Mitko Karakolev
  • Art Director Kyriaki Kyriakou, Remus Buznea
  • Sound Designer Ana Roman
  • Composer Ana Roman
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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