Berlin December 5, 1961- 1984

Timeline created by catchwing in History

Timeline Text view

Event Date:	Event Title:	Event Description:
12/05/1961	Engine driver, Harry Deterling, drives his train through the barriers	He drove a scheduled passenger train full speed against the barriers that blocked the line at the border station of Albrechtshof and continued on into the safety of Spandau, West Berlin. Of the 32 people on board, 24 (including 7 members of his family), were aware of his plans.
08/15/1962	Peter Fechter shot trying to escape	18 year old brick layer is shot while trying to jump the wall. He is shot in the leg and left to die in "no-man's land". His death causes a public outcry around the world. He is the 50th casualty of the wall.
08/30/1962	Conscription comes to East Germany	*only month/year accurate
10/05/1962	Tunnel '57 is betrayed	Built by Wolfgang Fuchs, the tunnel took 57 people to freedom and was to be a semi-permanent escape route until it was betrayed.
06/26/1963	JFK delivers speech at the Wall	"Ich bin ein Berliner" I am a Berliner. His visit represents the self-conscious status of West Berlin as a beacon of freedom. JFK's main priority had been to encourage the city and its people without provoking the Soviets but he didn't stick to the prepared version. He was moved by the experience of seeing the wall.
12/17/1963	West Berlin citizens allowed to visit East Berlin	Although only on a limited basis, it is the first time in more than two years. Over 700,000 take advantage of the concession.
07/29/1966	Negotiations for a freer crossing breakdown	East German authorities order stricter border controls, with additional wall segments and barbed wire to foil escapes
08/12/1970	The Treaty of Moscow
12/07/1970	The Treaty of Warsaw
05/29/1971	Erich Honecker is Head of State	He replaces Walter Ulbricht
05/31/1971	Ulbricht removed from real power at the age of 77	*only month/year accurate
09/03/1971	The Four Powers Agreement on Berlin is signed	Also known as the Berlin Agreement or the Quadripartite Agreement. This leads to eased travel restrictions from West Germany to West Berlin (for West Berliners) and to an opening of trade and diplomatic ties between East Germany and West Germany
06/03/1972	Western Allies hold ceremony for the Berlin Agreement
12/21/1972	The Basic Treaty is signed	Short hand for The treaty concerning the basis of relations between the Federal German Republic and the German Democratic Republic
08/01/1973	Ulbricht dies at his lakehouse on the Dollnsee
08/01/1975	The Helsinki Accord is signed	After 2 years of negotiations, it is signed by representatives of 35 nations from East to West, including the GDR and FDR.
10/07/1977	East German police clash with protestors during a Tear down this Wall rally	3 teenagers are killed.
01/09/1984	West Berlin Transit Authority takes over the running of the S-Bahn	It had been under the control of the communist Deutsche Reichsbahn but they had not invested any money in the system. It was in very poor repair.