Who?
Joseph Stalin – Leader of USSR from 1922 to 1953
John F. Kennedy – President of USA from 1961 to 1963 
Nikita Khruschev – Leader of USSR from 1953 to 1964
German People – Mainly the citizens of defeated Germany which was split into 4 occupation zones to help it recover after WWII
The erection of the Berlin Wall and the Inner German Border was a result of the tension caused after WWII during the Cold War and not during the WWII. During this period, civilians of Germany were affected as they stood and watched their country divided into 2 between the external powers (Allies – US, Britain and France, Communist – USSR)
What?
After WWII, Germany was split into 4 occupation zones (US, Britain, France and USSR) to help Germany recover. As tension built up in Germany and also from the Cold War, the US merged with British and French occupation zones in an attempt to prevent communist reunification of Germany. Hence West Germany (Allies) and East Germany (USSR) was formed. 
Until 1952, clear borders of East and West Germany were not very clear and people could cross over, so East German leaders met up with Joseph Stalin who advised them to draw the line. Hence, the Inner German Border was erected and civilians from East Germany were prevented to enter the West and vice versa. However there was a loophole which was exploited. East Germans who resented the Soviets entered West Germany through West Berlin. When the numbers became larger and more obvious, the Soviets decided erect a wall around West Germany, hence the construction of the Berlin Wall began.
When?
The Berlin Wall lasted from 1961 to 1989.
The Inner German Border was established in 1945 and lasted to 1989 as well
How?
The Inner German border between the two German states was closed, and a barbed-wire fence erected. The border between the Western and Eastern sectors of Berlin, however, remained open, although traffic between the Soviet and the Western sectors was somewhat restricted. Hence Berlin was a place of escape for many East Germans to enter West Germany.
On August 13th, 1961, the police and units of the East German army began to close the border with West Berlin was closed. East German troops and workers had begun to tear up streets running alongside the border to make them impassable to most vehicles, and to install barbed wire entanglements and fences along the 156km around the three western sectors, and the 43km that divided West and East Berlin.
To prevent ‘conflicts’ about USSR invading West Berlin, the border was built just inside East Berlin. Later it was built up into the Wall proper, the first concrete elements and large blocks being put in place on August 15. During the construction of the Wall, National People's Army and Combat Groups of the Working Class soldiers stood in front of it with orders to shoot anyone who attempted to resist. Additionally, chain fences, walls, minefields, and other obstacles were installed along the length of the inner-German border between East and West Germany.
Why?
In the early 1950s, civilians of the Eastern Bloc wanted to defect to other countries as they were much less restricted and economically better than the Soviet system, hence many East Germans wanted to cross the borders to West Germany, especially when there were no clear borders as to where West Germany separated from East Germany.
Up until 1952, the lines between East Germany and the western occupied zones could be easily crossed in most places. On April 1, 1952, East German leaders met Joseph Stalin in Moscow. Stalin's foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov proposed that the East Germans should set up borders around East Germany to restrict movement and prevent West German agents from entering East Germany.
In 1955, the Soviets gave East Germany authority over civilian movement in Berlin, passing control to a regime not recognized in the West. Initially, East Germany granted visits to allow its residents some access to West Germany. However many people who travelled to West Germany never returned and hence East Germany abolished this system to prevent any more defections.
The border in Berlin remained considerably more accessible than because it was administered by all four occupying powers. Hence, Berlin became the main route by which East Germans left for the West. When East Germany passed a law that restricted the number of refugees leaving East Germany, it unintentionally increased the number of people leaving through West Berlin by 1958. By 1958, almost a total of 20% of the East German population had escaped East Germany through West Berlin.
Also many emigrants were young and well-educated, leading to the "brain drain" feared by officials in East Germany. Yuri Andropov reported there were many young intelligent scholars in East Germany and although the East German leadership stated that they were leaving for economic reasons, further investigation has shown that it was more for political reasons. Hence there was this fear of immigration of intelligence from East Germany.
By 1960, the number of workers had decreased drastically. The direct cost of manpower losses has been estimated at $7 billion to $9 billion. In addition, the drain of East Germany's young population potentially cost it over 22.5 billion marks in lost educational investment. The brain drain of professionals had become so damaging to the political credibility and economic viability of East Germany that the re-securing of the German communist frontier by erecting the Berlin wall was imperative.
Results of the Berlin Wall
Germans could no longer travel or immigrate to West Germany. Many families were split, while East Berliners employed in the West were cut off from their jobs. West Berliners demonstrated against the wall but nothing was achieved. President John F. Kennedy who was trying to avoid a war or conflict, recognised this wall and said it that he would not challenge it. US troops were then deployed in West Berlin day by day to protect and defend the citizens as according to the Potsdam Conference, the powers of the occupation zones were allowed to cross over the borders.
Personal Reflections
Germany had been seen by both US and the USSR as a strong foothold in the recovery of Europe after WWII; hence neither superpower was willing to allow the reunification of Germany under the hands of the other party. So inevitably, Germany was dragged into the ‘crossfire’ and the lives of the civilians were greatly affected. Through this event, a war was avoided but both parties managed keep part of Germany to themselves so that it would not fall into the hands of the other party. Although USSR had violated several portions of the Potsdam agreement, the Allies practically did nothing but complained.
Superpowers
Soviets
- managed to secure East Germany and prevent many civilians from crossing over to West Germany
- prevented the reunification of Germany under the hands of the US
USA
- managed to gain the support of the Germans by not confronting the Soviets and using this event in propaganda to show the Soviets restrictions on them
- avoided a war with USSR by acknowledging the wall but also sending troops to West Berlin to defend the citizens
Civilians
Over the years, civilians of East German were restricted and confined to East Germany alone. During the years of the Wall, around 5,000 people successfully defected to West Berlin. Many people had died trying to cross over the wall but figures were not available.
Early successful escapes involved people jumping the initial barbed wire or leaping out of apartment windows along the line, but these ended as the wall was fortified. East German authorities no longer permitted apartments near the wall to be occupied, and any building near the wall had its windows boarded and later bricked up.
One case of escape was carried out on April 1963 by Wolfgang Engels, a 19-year-old civilian employee of the Nationale Volksarmee. Engels stole a Soviet armored personnel carrier from a base where he was deployed and drove it right into the wall. He was fired at and seriously wounded by border guards. But a West German policeman intervened, firing his weapon at the East German border guards. The policeman removed Engels from the vehicle, which had become entangled in the barbed wire.
Methods of escape included digging long tunnels under the wall, waiting for favourable winds and taking a hot air balloon, sliding along aerial wires, flying ultra lights, and in one instance, simply driving a car at full speed through weaker part of the fortifications. Many also tried escaping through the sewers.
By 1989, a law was passed that East Berliners were once again allowed to cross the wall. Many people gathered at the wall protesting to the guards to open the gates. Soon after people were tearing and destroying down the wall. On December 25, 1989, Leonard Bernstein gave a concert in Berlin celebrating the end of the Wall. The orchestra and choir were drawn from East and West Germany, as well as the United Kingdom, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
Roger Waters performed the 21 July 1990, with guests including Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Bryan Adams, Sinéad O'Connor, Thomas Dolby, Joni Mitchell, Marianne Faithfull, Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Van Morrison. David Hasselhoff performed his song "Looking for Freedom", which was very popular in Germany at that time, standing on the Berlin wall.
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