The GDR rulers celebrate the wall as a
triumph of the class enemy. Walter Ulbricht
has few words to spare on the dead
and injured. There were
far far fewer incidents while we took
all of our measures than during a
typical rock and roll concert in West
Berlin´s Sportpalast.
The 27th of October 1961 high noon at
Friedrichstraße. American and Soviet tanks
face to face at the border. A stand-off at
Checkpoint Charlie. People's police
officers had been checking US soldiers
IDs in East Berlin. A clear breach of the
rules. America and Great Britain view
this as unacceptable. Faced with the
threat of a military crisis the world
holds its breath. After 16 hours all
tanks retreat.
Each superpower believing it has
triumphed over the other.
 
