What Was the Berlin Wall?

Berlin has long been a magnetic city, attracting artists, creatives, and scholars from around the globe. Yet its history is marked by dramatic rises and falls. Following World War I, Germany faced a severe economic depression, during which crime and unemployment reached high levels. These conditions enabled Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. His leadership ultimately led to Germany’s downfall in World War II. What Was the Berlin Wall? traces the events of the period that followed, focusing on the city’s division and the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.  

Following World War II, the four victorious Allied powers divided Germany into four zones, and Berlin was split into two zones. The Soviets controlled East Berlin, while the United States, Britain, and France controlled West Berlin. “The famous Brandenburg Gate stood at the dividing line, just inside East Berlin, controlled by the Soviet Union.” As tensions between the Soviets and other Allied forces increased, the Soviets imposed an Iron Curtain, restricting movement in and out of West Berlin. With the city isolated, the United States was forced to find new ways to deliver essential supplies to West Berliners.  

The book pulls readers in from the beginning with a short retelling of Peter Fetcher’s tragic experience with the Berlin Wall. Peter, who lived in East Berlin, dreamed of moving West as “there were better jobs there, and Peter longed for a better life.” However, after the Wall’s construction in 1961, Peter felt his dreams being stifled. He watched people lose jobs, be separated from families, and become “prisoners in their own city.” Hoping to escape, Peter and his friend attempted to cross the wall, but guards opened fire, and Peter was shot. This heartbreaking moment immediately establishes the emotional weight of the story and will make readers feel invested in the lives of those who were impacted daily by the Berlin Wall.   

The book features eleven chapters, each delving into a different aspect of the Berlin Wall’s history. For example, Chapter Four covers the Cold War, describing it as “a war of ideas: communism versus capitalism,” rather than a traditional military conflict. While many chapters explore the growing tension between the Soviet Union and Western powers, Chapter 11 captures the excitement and relief that East and West Berliners felt when East German official Gunter Schabowski announced that citizens were allowed to cross the border freely. Learning about the hardships people endured makes the book’s depiction of the wall’s fall especially rewarding.   

Visual learners will also benefit from the book’s black-and-white, detailed illustrations, which appear throughout and directly support the text. One page, for instance, describes Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson’s visit to West Berlin, where he was greeted by children holding up letters that spelled Freiheit— “freedom” in German. Below the text, a matching illustration shows the children with their signs. At the end of the book, a “Photographs” section features twenty-two real images from Berlin between 1933 and 1990, offering young readers additional insight into the era.  

Overall, What Was the Berlin Wall? is a great option for young readers who are curious about history. By covering everything from the political climate that preceded the wall to the celebrations of its fall, What Was the Berlin Wall? provides a clear, engaging overview of one of the 20th century’s most defining symbols. Its blend of factual storytelling, emotional narratives, and historical visuals makes it both informative and compelling for children learning about this time period for the first time.  

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• After Adolf Hitler came into power, his supporters “arrested, beat up, and even killed his political enemies.” 
• In 1941, the United States joined World War II after Hitler bombed a US naval base. 
• Hitler committed suicide after it became clear that Germany would be defeated in World War II.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None

Language  

• None 

Supernatural  

• None

Spiritual Content  

• Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party blamed Germany’s economic problems “on communists and Jews.” 

by Madeline Hettrick