Hope M. Harrison Books

The book explores the commemoration of the Berlin Wall, highlighting its pivotal role in shaping modern German national identity. It delves into the historical context and the cultural implications of the Wall's legacy, examining how remembrance practices reflect and influence contemporary societal values and collective memory in Germany. Through this analysis, the narrative reveals the complexities of national identity in the wake of division and reunification.

"This work portrays the different approaches favored by the East Germans and the Soviets to stop the exodus of refugees to West Germany. In the wake of Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviets refused the East German request to close their border to West Berlin. The Kremlin rulers told the hard-line East German leaders to solve their refugee problem not by closing the border, but by alleviating their domestic and foreign problems. The book describes how, over the next seven years, the East German regime managed to resist Soviet pressures for liberalization and instead pressured the Soviets into allowing them to build the Berlin Wall. Driving the Soviets up the Wall forces us to view this critical juncture in the Cold War in a different light.

Focusing on the historical context of the Berlin Wall, this groundbreaking book reveals the lesser-known dynamics behind its construction in 1961. Utilizing unique archival materials from East German and Soviet sources, the author presents a compelling argument that it was East Germany, rather than the Soviets, that drove the decision to erect the Wall. This fresh perspective challenges conventional narratives of the Cold War and highlights the complexities of the relationship between these two regimes.