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

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That guy with the tank.....legend

“Otherwise, there were normal people” 5 seconds later *AND DROVE A STOLEN TANK THROUGH THE WALL*

the guy with the tank was called Wolfgang Engels and apparently he met some other ppl along the way and asked, 'I'm gonna go to the West, wanna go?'

East german guard: Wait WHAT THE FU- The dude with the tank: *Haha tank go brrr*

I just want to know the story behind the guy that stole a tank.

My mum grew up in eastern Germany while my dad grew up in the west. It's so interesting to hear the completely different stories about their childhood and youth, although they technically grew up in the same country. I still can't imagine how life was back then.

The guy who stole the tank: “I’m gonna do what’s called a pro gamer move”

Can we just stop and appreciate the animation? These guys are amazing animators.

As a Korean, I wonder whether my country can be reunified like that again. After the fall of Berlin Wall, we were also very enthusiastic and optimistic that same thing will soon happen in Korea's DMZ as well, but no luck. Tensions only getting worse. Always makes me sigh when I think about this.

Girl: come over Boy: i can't, there's berlin wall Girl: im home alone Boy: *blitzkrieg* *starting tank engine

It's so shocking to me that Germany only reunified in 1990! That feels like barely any time, but Germany seems like such a unified nation now

When I was in 6th Grade, we were studying the Berlin Wall for one of our subjects. And my history teacher even had a piece of the Berlin Wall that he showed to the entire class.

my grandma lived there once and told me how she would pretend to whisper into her coat button in front of police booths just to annoy them

The last line in the story is so beautiful: "Today the parts of the wall still stand as a reminder that any barrier we put up to impede freedom, we can also break down."

When you're just guarding the wall quietly Then suddenly you hear *boss music*

The detail with the stolen tank was actually a true story. A man named Wolfgang Engels actually stole an armored vehicle and crashed it through the wall. Fortunately, he made it to safety after people from a nearby bar in the Western half took him to safety.

4:17 they did not just flew that air balloon, they built it themselves. The ballon crashed in west Germany and the passengers weren’t sure if they really passed the border and asked the next best person. „Yes, this is the BRD. Did you really use THAT to cross the border“ Best story haha. Those refugees were from Pößneck, pretty close to where I live. My parents told me that story when I was little, they even knew these people ^^

Some extra info: Of the 5000 people that made it acrosss the wall, 570 were border guards.

Nobody: Some guy who somehow stole a tank: *haha tank go vroom*

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become a villain" - Soviet Union '89

Guy: Hey, can I use the bathroom? Other guy: Sorry dude, Berlin Wall came through my toilet.

Hi, I have my degree in Germanic Studies. There's a slight inaccuracy on why the wall opened. It was a mistake made by a journalist announcer about the new travel plans. He missed the briefing on the new regulations and so when asked when this would come into place, he said Immediately. So people listening to the broadcast in East Berlin got excited and swamped the unsuspecting guard station and thankfully let them through instead of conflict. It's hugely famous in Germany, so I'm surprised that was missed.Look up Günter Schabowski for more details!

Respect to the person that crashed the wall with a tank without hesitation 😭🙌

As a Korean too, I wish our countries could reunite again. Schools, Organizations are working so hard to reunite,but the tensions are getting worse and worse.

Kennedy once said, “Democracy is not perfect, but at least we do not have to build a wall to keep our people in.”

I just noticed that when the wall was brought down everybody was purple bc west and east where blue and red 👌

Keeping parts of these walls on display is such a beautiful way to preserve history

Literally everyone in the comments talking about how a guy stole a tank

"We're a Democratic Republic!" "OK, can I vote you out and get someone else in? " "no"

*German Democratic Republic* Well yes, but actually no

My Parents are both from West Germany and I was born a long time after the fall of the wall. Yet everytime I hear about the fall of the Wall and see pictures of the falll and the people there I tear up. I cant describe it but it makes me incredibly emotional.

I visited East Berlin in 1985. We went through Check Point Charlie. It was really interesting to see what it was like. Only a couple of blocks outside of Alexandre Platz the buildings were still not repaired. As we were clearly foreigners no one would talk to us. When we went to a pub for a beer, everyone looked at us and pretended we weren’t there. It was also weird to take the S-Bahn (subway) and pass through abandoned stations were the trains didn’t stop and see armed guards when the trains passed through the stations on the East side of the wall. I watched the wall being torn down on TV and was elated by the celebrations of freedom!

Funny thing: One piece of the Berlin Wall is located in South Africa. On a random street.

I'm from Germany and two years ago my aunt was giving me and my cousins tiny pieces of the Berlin Wall as christmas presents from a trip she was on. It got really precious to me, though I do not know any stories about it from my direct family members. Though history wasn't my favorite subject in school I did always understood that it's extremely important to know about it. I've seen some parts of the wall in museums and in Berlin itself and what impressed me was how scribbled they are. There are many graffitis on it and some are displayed as works of art, painted by some artist. By now it's really hard to collect a piece of it. Last words from a show I love: "History is important, gentlemen. If you can't learn from it, you're destined to repeat it."

I was born here. My dad a US army took down this Berlin Wall and rescued so many people during the process. My daddy drove the tanks. It's cool to keep learning about this. And also such a tragedy for all these lives to be lost. My heart goes out to you

4:18 "I bet you weren't expecting a goddamn tank you losers"- concerned German citizen

The Berlin Wall is like the Demilitarized zone in Korea. After the Korean War, the Soviet Union took the North while America took the South

Amazing animation! And such a hopeful message, particularly in these days.

Greetings from a Berliner :)! I loved this. Berlin is unique and i love having people over from all over the world, to show them why. The topic of the wall feels so intimate and sentimental to me and i’m happy to see that other people are still learning about it 🥰 happy 32 years of union

Capitalism: build walls to stop people from coming in Communism: build walls to stop people from getting out

Ok but can we talk about the art style and color palettes for a sec? It’s so beautiful

Is no one going to talk about this amazing art style?

"Mr. Gorbachev...tear down this wall"-- President Ronald Regan. The sledgehammer statement that added to the wreckingball that tore it down.

Impossible not to get emotional, I can't fathom what the people felt at the moment.

Berlin Wall: *Exists* The people: I’m about to end this wall’s whole career.

I was stationed on the border in Fulda Germany in April 90. I actually drove into the former east Germany. The roads were really bad and the area was very depressing. It was like driving back in time 30 years.

Thanks for making this history very clear. You made it easier to understand and not boring

The guy that stole a tank and drove it through the Berlin Wall is truly a legend

Just imagine. Your a guard, everything is completely normal. And then, you hear tractor noises *IT'S TANK TIME*

What a great video. Extremely well made and easy to understand. Thank you.

Thank you for making this, I'm writing a two page essay on the Berlin wall and this helped a lot

TedED could you guys make one of these videos for the Korean division? It's not reunited yet, but maybe explaining on detail how the division came to be will be something to learn about. Thank you ♡

4:18 I would have loved to see that tank incident happen.

That's the second time I've heard someone say the wall was built around the east side of Germany but then build a wall around the west part in the video

I started my journey of watching ted ed videos with this video. And still looks fresh as I watched it for the first time.

I have a small piece of that wall.

My school has a broken off chunk of the Berlin Wall which I allways thought was cool

I remember my history teacher in middle school told me about the worst mistake is his life. When the Berlin wall was about to fall, he and some of his friends where in high school, and when they realised that stuff was about to happen in Berlin, his friends asked him if he wanted to take the night train to Berlin and see what would happen. We live in sweden, so it's a long ride, but my teachers friends thought it was worth it. My teacher declined their offer. His friends where in west berlin when the wall fell, and they later told my teacher what an amazing and emotional experience. People flooding from east into west, laughter and endless amounts of joy, families and friends that had been separated for decades being reunited. My teacher told us that his decision to stay behind that night would be the biggest regret of his entire life, and to always take chances if you can, because you dont know for how long you will regret it later.

my mother was in Germany at the time that the wall was torn down and brought my grandmother a small piece of the wall, we still have it in a jewellery box and is very valued in my family.

My doggo head is being filled with knowledge

Legitimately cried at 4:58 seeing the soldier’s reaction and 6:09. Real message.

Apparently the travel permit thing wasn't supposed to happen until a few days later, but the guy announcing it made a mistake and said it was immediate instead.

Thank you Ted-Ed 🙌🏼 I have clear insights into the history of Berlin Wall now🤓

Ok since the video was very superficial in the end (even though its such a good and intersting story): On 9th november 1989 the DDR Press speaker Günter Schabowski made an anouncement saying that a new law was set in place that enables all citizens to leave the DDR (what he misses to say: citizens have to apply to leave). Next he is asked when this law will be in force and he answers "To my knowledge... thats... right away, immediatly.". Fifteen minutes later the west german television (which could be and was watched by most east germans) declared in regards to Schaboskis statement that the wall is open. Thousands of citizens go on the streets in order to leave, but the guards withstand the crowds to arround 11 pm. Then the borders are finally open. So a badly informed press speaker makes a mistake, west german media brings the news to the east german people and suddenly the east german regime has no other choice than to give in. It was a coincidence, but it probably whould have happend either way months or years later, because of the common protests, low moral and the generally bad state the Soviet Union was in.

The rise and fall of Berlin Wall. It rhymes.

I've been learning a lot in TED and now TED become one of my education.

This is fire. The art, narration, flow of the video :o

3:18 _“As the wall expanded, it became more difficult”_ Bird: I see no god *_OTHER THAN ME_*

THEY NEED TO MAKE A MOVIE ABOUT THE TANK THING

I haven't listened in history class and have an exam on Monday, thank you for this

This is by far my favourite history lesson. Got goosebumps listening to it....earlier vietnam history was my favourite...but now its 2nd😉

Some Guy: What are you doing today? An Absolute Legend: Just gonna take a tank and crash through the Berlin Wall, I need my frisby Some Guy: Ni.... wait what

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller

I cried with this amazing video 😭 liberty is the most important thing that we take off to ourselves :(

Really enjoyed the documentary. Did not disappoint one bit.

My dad helped break down the wall

“Democracy is not perfect,but we never had to build a wall to keep our citizens in” I think it was John F Kennedy

“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear down this wall”

My German teacher said that (she is German) her grandmother and her family was split, she asked a nearby soldier what happend and he told her that she can't see her family again , she got very upset but remembered that there was a train station, she put her baby brother in a bag (lmao) and went to the other side (i dont remember which side it was it was years ago)

My dad was in a sports tournament in Berlin the day they started tearing the wall down, all of his teammates joined in. They never knew what they were doing, cause in Brazil news was very limited. He brought a piece of the wall back.... so crazy that he was a part of that

To show the powers of flex tape, i sawed this country in half! And repaired it with only flex tape.

OMG THIS HELPED SO MUCH THANKS

I'd never forget that on November 9th there was supposed to be just a generic announcement of the general permission to cross the border without restriction. An Italian journalist who worked for the Ansa (our main news agency from which other media take the hints) needed only precise data so he had to ask "From when is this going to apply?" and the official speaking which was there only by chance and didn't know anything about all the legislativa project until 10 minutes before the press conference looked lost, adjusted his glasses and was like "I mean ... I'd say, from now (?) ..." and nobody dared contradict him in order to make it look like it was all planned and not improvised as it actually was. A crowd of over 100 thousand people flooded into the streets of Berlin and presented to the wall. In that precise moment there was only minor officials which didn't have any directive or decisional power and one of them crying called his superior "What's the directive?" and since in the army headquarter most people didn't even know of the press conference they just said "don't do anything!" ... and that's how Germany was made one again.

I really liked the art

November 9th, 1989 : **begins** Berlin Wall : *"East Germany, I **_Don't_** Feel So Good."*

brilliant animation and explanation

Great storytelling! ❤❤

4:17 guy was playing gta before gta was even a thing.

I have a story to tell, Long before I was born, and a few years before my mother was born, my grandparents were making the hardest decision of their lives, ,"Jürgen, solten wir das wirklich machen? Ich hab angst, komm, nein, mach das nicht!" "Jürgen, should we really do it? I'm scared.. come on.. don't do it!" My grandmother was probably saying something like that, and i'm glad that they didn't try to escape the east side with their friends.. After my Grandfather picked up my Grandmother from the train station from work after their friends tried to escape, he looked around to make sure nobody was there to listen ,"Dar sind neue leute die dar jest leben Brunhilde." ,"There are new people now living there Brunhilde." ,"Was!?" ,"What!?" I'm glad they didn't escape with their buddies, otherwise.. they would've been caught, and they wouldn't have had my mother, because it was only after 3 years that they were freed from prison and sold to West Germany, they would've fallen out by that time.. After that, my Grandfather did a foolish thing, he was writing a letter to a friend- 'Ich bin frei, wir sind alle frei' 'I am free, we are all free' He wrote something like that and sent it off, only it wasn't the usual postman who collected their letters, because their usual one was sick and the new postman read the letter. His studies were posteponed, because otherwise, my Grandmother told me, he could've become a Proffesor. Because of three words,' I AM FREE' after that he was put into a labour party by my Great grandfather which prevented him from being pulled into another one, where he could've been made into Secret Service, and that wouldn't have been good, because he somehow had access to Western TV. Thank you for reading this, I felt it was important to share this real story, if you have any questions, ask me.

I LOVE the graphic style of the video

Mad respect to that legend who stole tank and break the wall

Government: “We’re going to keep you from going into West Germany.” East Germans: “wE’rE gOnnA kEeP yOU fRom gOing iNt0 wEsT GeRmAny”

4:58 the man is crying

This animation style is so good!!!

we have a replica of a section of the Berlin Wall in my hometown, but I never knew the full story until now

1960s Berlin Wall 2000s North Korean Wall

1990 -Berlin wall fall 845 -Wall Maria fall

There's gotta be a video for you to watch about the history of the Berlin Wall that might answer your questions. I learned about it in my history classes.

Amazing explanation