25th anniversary from the mini page © 2014 universal...

© 2014 Universal Uclick

from The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick

Imagine that the street in front of your home suddenly becomes an imaginary line between two governments at war with each other. Your best friend lives across the street, but you are no longer allowed to play together or visit each other’s homes.

This is a simple example of what happened in Berlin, Germany, in 1961. A long, tall wall was built through the center of Berlin, separating East Germany from West Germany.

In November 1989, the wall came tumbling down. This week, we learn why the Berlin Wall was built and how it was destroyed.At war’s end

When World War II ended in 1945, Germany was divided among four countries: the Soviet Union*, the United States, Great Britain and France. The eastern part of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union, with the western part occupied by the other three nations.

Even though the city of Berlin fell entirely within the eastern part, the agreement allowed that it would also be split into four parts.

* The Soviet Union was a group of communist countries that covered some of Asia and Europe. It broke up in 1991.

An island of freedom Although West Berlin was controlled by three Western countries, it was still surrounded by East Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union. Supplies such as food, cars and fuel, which had been delivered by rail cars from eastern locations, were cut off starting in June 1948. The Western governments began to deliver these necessities to West Berlin by airplane. Five thousand tons of supplies were delivered every day. Finally, in May 1949, the Soviets ended the blockade, and trade into West Berlin started again.

Moving around The Soviet Union was a communist power. Communism is a political system under which all property is publicly owned, and people work for and are paid by the government. The government also controls the media, such as newspapers, so only approved messages reach the people. Many people wanted to move away from East Germany to avoid living under communism. After the division of Berlin, some people worked in West Berlin but lived in the east. In the 1950s, millions left East Germany for good.

25th Anniversary

What Was the Berlin Wall?Berlin is the capital of Germany and the country’s largest city. After World War II, millions of people in Eastern Europe moved west to escape Soviet rule. Many moved to West Germany.


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Throughout the 1950s, relations between East Germany and West Germany got worse and worse. Finally, as hundreds of thousands of people left East Germany, many through East Berlin, government officials there felt they had to do something. East Germany was losing too many of its workers. In fact, East Germany had lost one-sixth of its population by August 1961.Overnight, a wall

Just after midnight on Aug. 13, 1961, builders began constructing a barrier between East Germany and West Berlin. They built concrete pillars and strung barbed wire between them.

Trains between east and west were stopped. Telephone lines were cut. Streets were blocked as workers put up the barriers. Houses along the border were boarded up.

A more permanent wallIn the weeks and months after Aug.

13, workers replaced the barbed wire with a wall made of concrete blocks. In some places, the wall ran right down the middle of a street. Former neighbors were now separated from each other.

Later, another wall was built inside the first one. This created a “no man’s land” where no one lived. The empty space made it easier for

guards to see someone trying to cross the border. Guards at the wall had instructions to shoot people trying to escape if they could not stop them in any other way. Ninety people in Berlin died between 1961 and 1989 as they made a run for freedom.

Building the Wall

Y D E N N E K Q N T C V L J RN P G R V G A T E O E A S E EA K S X C R J I M H T W D F DM W D Z A Y V M C I M A R N RR A L W P O U A P N K E A I OE L O U S N B A O C A A U L BG L C B I R C I O G T S G R HD C G S O N N L A F J T S E WO H M G R U B N E D N A R B K

Words that remind us of the Berlin Wall are hidden in the block above. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: BERLIN, BLOCKADE, BORDER, BRANDENBURG, CAPITAL, COLD, COMMUNISM, EAST, GATE, GERMANY, GORBACHEV, GUARDS, KENNEDY, OCCUPY, REAGAN, SOVIET, UNION, WALL, WAR, WEST.

Berlin Wallfrom The Mini Page © 2014 Universal Uclick

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In November 1961, East German workers reinforced the wall near the Brandenburg Gate, a famous landmark in Berlin. The wall included stations with spotlights and observation posts.

In September 1961, people in West Berlin stood on ladders to wave to friends and loved ones on the eastern side of the Berlin Wall.

photos courtesy National Archives


In professional soccer, it’s not uncommon for players to change teams. They may be “loaned” to other clubs, or even traded outright. And because soccer is such an international sport, some may end up playing the game in several different countries over the course of their careers. Diego Costa’s early pro career bounced back and forth for several seasons among teams in Portugal and Spain. Last season, he helped Atletico Madrid capture the championship in Spain’s top division. He then signed a contract to play for Chelsea in the English Premier League, where he made his presence known immediately. Diego scored eight goals in his first six league matches with “The Blues,” as Chelsea’s club is often called. This included a three-goal “hat trick” against Swansea to give his team a 4-2 victory. Diego, who is among 21 international players on Chelsea’s 25-man roster, has Blues fans enjoying a nearly perfect start to the new season.

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Meet The Whizpops The Whizpops’ latest science-based CD is “Sea Blue Sea.” Singer, songwriter, guitarist and percussionist Kevin Cashman teaches fifth grade. He studied trumpet and piano as a child. Guitarist, singer and songwriter Casey Schaefer teaches kindergarten. Hearing “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen inspired him as a teen to relearn the piano and study the guitar. Keyboardist Keaton Wilson is finishing his

doctoral degree in biology. He played jazz and rock in a band in middle school. Singer Margi Cates is a preschool teacher. She said, “I’ve been singing my whole life. I took piano and flute, but I wasn’t so keen on flute, and the flute somehow found itself under my bed.” Double bassist Steve Kalling teaches language arts to teachers. He played coronet and flugelhorn in high school. Drummer Daniel Kiely works to help people manage their money. He was in a drum line marching band in high school.


You’ll need:

What to do:1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.2. Place the tortilla on a flat surface. Whisk together ricotta, oregano and pepper.

Spread the mixture all over the tortilla, to within 1/2 inch of the edge. Top the ricotta with the Canadian bacon and parmesan.

3. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serves 1.

*You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.Adapted from “The Robin Takes 5 Cookbook for Busy Families” with permission from Andrews McMeel Publishing (andrewsmcmeel.com).

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Fred: What happened to the tactless man when he put his foot in his mouth?

Felicia: He got a sock in the jaw!

All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?

Felix: What type of shoe is good for lazy people?Ferdinand: Loafers!

TM MightyFunny’s Mini Jokes

Foley: How many feet are there in the United States?

Frieda: About twice as many as the number of people!

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• Cooking spray• 1 fajita-size flour tortilla

(regular or whole-wheat)• 2 tablespoons part-

skim ricotta cheese

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup diced Canadian bacon

• 2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese

(from front:) Casey, Steve, Margi, Kevin, Keaton, Daniel


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The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

‘Tear Down This Wall!’

Germans celebrate atop the Berlin Wall at the Brandenburg Gate in November 1989.

Living with the wall By 1963, the wall was complete, and fewer East Germans were fleeing from communism. West Germany and West Berlin built successful economic systems, lively arts and cultural organizations and growing businesses. But East Germany was full of worn-out cars and streetcars, poor-quality goods and limited services. Many families were separated by the wall. Young people might arrange to be smuggled to the West, but then they were cut off from their parents. Grandparents might never see grandchildren grow up.A new leader In March 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the new leader of the Soviet Union. Relations improved with the West, including the United States. In 1989, Gorbachev went to East Germany to meet with leaders there.

Living with the wall

“Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect. But we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in — to prevent them from leaving us.” — U.S. President John F. Kennedy, 1963

“General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” — U.S. President Ronald Reagan, 1987

Gorbachev wanted the Cold War* with the United States to end, and he thought people should be able to criticize their government. Speaking in West Berlin in 1987, President Ronald Reagan urged Gorbachev to “tear down this wall!” Eastern European countries such as Poland and Hungary began to free themselves from Soviet rule. In the fall of 1989, people took to the streets in East Germany, speaking out against communism and demanding free elections. A change in law On Nov. 9, 1989, a government official announced changes to the Travel Law that prevented people from leaving East Germany. When asked by a reporter if this meant that the border was open, the official said, “Yes.”* The Cold War was a period of unfriendly relations between the Soviet Union and the United States.

A great celebration As the border gates opened, thousands of East Germans burst through and celebrated with their western countrymen. People chipped chunks out of the wall for souvenirs. By the end of 1990, the wall had been demolished. Only one section still remains as a historical monument.

Next week, The Mini Page is about military flight.

25th anniversary from the mini page © 2014 universal...

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