The rise and fall of the Berlin Wall: A historia's view on a Cold War symbol

YTI-luennot on Yhteiskuntatutkimuksen instituutin järjestämä yhteiskuntatutkimuksesta kiinnostuneelle yleisölle tarkoitettu virikeluentosarja, jolla keskustellaan ajankohtaisten kysymysten tutkimuksellisesta jäsentämisestä.

The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall: A Historian’s View on a Cold War Symbol

The Berlin Wall, constructed in August 1961 and breached by the East German people in November 1989, stands out as the most prominent symbol of the Cold War. The Wall was perceived not only as a division of the city of Berlin, but also of Germany and the European continent into East and West.
   
This lecture will present historical evidence on the events in 1961 and 1989, and aims at interpreting the meaning of the Wall from different perspectives. Questions pertaining to international politics and everyday life in a divided city will be addressed. For example, how East German rhetoric on the Wall differed from the Soviet approach. Why John F. Kennedy was actually not a ‘Berliner’, but a West Berliner. How the Wall altered West German foreign policy. Why the Wall in reality consisted of two walls, and escapes over (or under) these walls became increasingly difficult as time went by. Why painting on the Wall was an act of rebellion. How in October 1989 the peaceful demonstrations in East Germany almost turned into bloodshed. And how the events of November 1989 impacted on today’s symbolism of the Berlin Wall.
 
Kevään muut YTI-luennot:

5.4.
Instituutiot, ammatit ja aika
Yliopistotutkija Lea Henriksson

19.4.
Digitaalisista peleistä, kulttuuriteollisuudesta ja työvoimasta
Tutkijatohtori Olli Sotamaa

3.5.
Hyvinvoinnin tuottamisen uudet logiikat
Professori Anneli Anttonen

Lisätietoja:
Tutkimussihteeri Marjukka Virkajärvi, 3551 7137, etunimi.sukunimi@uta.fi