Student Exercises to "Berlin and the Two Germanies"

prepared by Adolph N. Hofmann
German Instructor, Santa Rosa Junior College

• Questions to Part 1, 'Berlin at the End ofWWII'
• Questions to Part 2, 'The First Postwar Decade'
• Questions to Part 3, 'The Raising of the Wall'
• Questions to Part 4, 'West Berlin Thrives'
• Questions to Part 5, 'East Berlin, a Tourist Attraction'
• Questions to Part 6, 'East Germany during the Wall'
• Questions to Part 7, 'Bringing down the Wall from Within'
• Questions to Part 8, 'East meets West'
• Questions to Part 9, 'East German Problems'
• Questions to Part 10, 'The Road to Unification'

(Need to go back to Part 1? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Approximately how many people died in WWII?

2. What percentage of the population of West Berlin were left at the end of WWII?

3. Into how many sectors was Berlin divided? Name them.

4. What was the role of Berlin in the Cold War?

5. With which government did West Berlin align itself after the start of the Cold War?

6. Where was the political center of East Germany?

7. What were the formal names of the two governments of Germany?

8. What was the focus of the Marshall Plan?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 2? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Why was Berlin given special treatment by the Allies and the West German government?

2. Explain the Air Lift.

3. How did West Berlin fare economically compared to West Germany?

4. What were the attractions of West Berlin in the 'fifties?

5. What were the attractions of the East Berlin in the '50s?

6. Which half of Berlin contained ruins in its center during the '50s?

7. What was the intent of the government in East Berlin in flying banners?

8. Why was the Free University founded?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 3? Clickhere!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. What did the Wall look like when it began in Berlin?

2. Why was the Wall erected?

3. What was the date when the Wall began?

4. Who was Walter Ulbricht?

5. Did the Wall achieve its purpose?

6. What were some of the ways refugees from East Germany tried to escape?

7. What was the intent of Ostpolitk, and with whom is it associated?

8. Describe the border in its current state.

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung: Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes.V erwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 4? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (5 out of 8):

1. What groups made up the populace of West Berlin in the '60s and '70's?

2. What kept West Berlin going during the three decades of the 1960 s to 1990?

3. What minority population found a home in Berlin?

4. Why did students enjoy being in Berlin?

5. Why did students get disillusioned with the U.S. in the late' 60's and '70's?

6. How much vacation do most West Germans have?

7. Who are the Greens? When did they get started?

8. List the benefits of the West German social net.

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented inthis section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 5? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Through which crossing point were foreign visitors allowed topass into East Berlin?

2. How long were visitors allowed to stay in East Berlin?

3. What is the name of the grand avenue in East Berlin?

4. Of what materials is the Palast der Republik constructed?

5. In which part of East Berlin is the Jewish Cemetery?

6. What is the reputation of the Prenzlauer Berg section of East Berlin?

7. At what location did the changing of the honor guard in East Berlin take place?

8. Why was East Berlin before the fall of the Wall, somewhat better off than the rest of East Germany?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung: Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 6? Clickhere!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Why should East Berliners and many East Germans suffer from a recurrent dream of the flying over the Wall?

2. Were goods and services readily available in East Germany?

3. How high are rents in East Germany before the Wall comes down?

4. What were the rewards for having children in the former East Germany?

5. Explain the phrase, "Some are more equal that others."

6. What was the FDJ, and what function did it play in East Germany?

7. What was the role of the Stasi in the former East Germany?

8. What were the benefits of living in East Germany before 1990?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 7? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Where did the opposition to the East German regime have its center?

2. Why was the Fall of the Wall such a surprise to the West German government?

3. In which urban centers of East Germany did the opposition have its strongest support?

4. What had the East German government done with many of the opposition leaders?

5. What entity controlled the realm of public expression and debate in East Germany?

6. To which other nations did East Germans go in order to flee their own state?

7. What anniversary did East Germany celebrate shortly before its demise?

8. What kind of solution to the problem of opposition crowds on the streets did Honecker, the East German leader, envision?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 8? Clickhere!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. Where did the people of West Berlin congregate on hearing thereports of the fall of the Wall?

2. Where did the East Germans go on crossing over to West Berlin?

3. To which West Berlin attractions did the reporter, Marlies Menge, take her East German relatives?

4. In the letter from East Germany, what did the visitors from East Germany find attractive in the West?

5. In the same letter, what did the visitors from East Germany find repellant and frightening in the West?

6. Were the East Germans afraid at this point of the what influence West German money might have in their country? Explain briefly.

7. Who cut open the first gaps in the Wall?

8. Who disarmed the Stasi? Why is it important that the Stasi was disarmed?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil desAufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 9? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. How many people are leaving East Germany on a daily basis in the Spring 1990?

2. What sort of government is it that most East Germans want during this period?

3. For what date is the election scheduled which will decide whether or not East Germans will join their nation to West Germany?

4. Money is big issue at this point (Spring '90) to East Germans. Why?

5. What were some of the issues East Germans were faced with in terms of changes in their social structure in the Spring of 1990?

6. What is the first major problems that East Germany must face?

7. What is the second major problem for East Germany at this juncture?

8. What is the third major problem that East Germany must face atthis at this time?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil desAufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze pro Bildbeschreibung.

(Need to go back to Part 10? Click here!)

A. Answer in English (any 5 out of 8):

1. West Germany was confronted with enormous overcrowding in the Spring of 1990? Where did all these extra people come from?

2. What are some of the political hurdles that had to be considered on the road to unification?

3. Does the Nazi legacy still intrude into the political considerations in Germany at this point (March 1990)? Explain.

4. Have the West Germans made attempts to deal with the past in terms of their educational curriculum?

5. Why do Germany's European neighbors fear the idea of unification?

6. How big will a united Germany become - in terms of its population?

7. Had West Germany achieved political stability by Spring 1990?

8. When will Berlin host the Olympic games again?

B. Mini-Essay (100 words). Summarize the main points presented in this section of "German Unification: Five years after."

C. Intermediate German Exercise / deutsche Übung:Beschreiben Sie zwei Bilder in diesem Teil des Aufsatzes. Verwenden Sie etwa fünf bis sieben Sätze proBildbeschreibung.