Was the Berlin Wall Kennedy's idea?

Question

I read somewhere, I don't recall where, that Kennedy and Kruschev (sp) were arguing over Berlin, and Kennedy said sarcastically, 'What are you going to do, build a wall?' or something to that effect. Is there any truth to that, or is it just an urban legend?

Answer 1

I doubt whether it was Kennedy's idea, as the western powers stood to gain by the wall not being built.

Emigration from the GDR had reached well over 2 million from 1949 to 1962 and the loss of labour and skilled people was a serious problem both economically and socially to the communist states.

This is an extract from the German website linked below,

Because of dissatisfaction with the economic and political conditions (forced collectivization of agriculture, repression of private trade, supply gaps), an increasing number of people left the GDR. From January to the beginning of August 1961, about 160,000 refugees were counted. Also, the international political situation was tense. On 1958-11-27, the Soviets (Khrushchev) had delivered their Berlin ultimatum, demanding that the western allies should withdraw their troops from West Berlin and that West Berlin should become a "Free City" within six months. On 1959-02-17, the threat of settling a separate peace treaty between the USSR the GDR followed. The meeting between US President Kennedy and the Prime Minister of the USSR, Khrushchev, on 1961-06-03/04 in Vienna ended without any noticeable results.
Generally, measures of the government of the GDR were expected with the aim of preventing people from leaving the GDR. At an international press conference on June 15, 1961, Walter Ulbricht (the leader of the east German communist party, SED, and President of the Privy Council) answered to the question of a journalist: "I understand your question as follows: there are people in West Germany who want us to mobilize the construction workers of the GDR to build a wall. I am not aware of any such plans... No one has the intention of constructing a wall."

Construction of the Wall
Early in the morning of Sunday, August 13, 1961, the GDR began under the leadership of Erich Honecker to block off East Berlin and the GDR from West Berlin by means of barbed wire and antitank obstacles. Streets were torn up, and barricades of paving stones were erected. Tanks gathered at crucial places. The subway and local railway services between East and West Berlin were interrupted. Inhabitants of East Berlin and the GDR were no longer allowed to enter West Berlin, amongst them 60,000 commuters who had worked in West Berlin so far. In the following days, construction brigades began replacing the provisional barriers by a solid wall.

Answer 2

It's urban legend. The Wall was begun in August 1961, but planning began in 1960 (before Kennedy was even President).

The wall was the master plan of East German leader Walter Ulbricht who was worried about the continuous drain of people simply leaving the Soviet sector of Berlin, and going to the western portion. The drain of people (particularly well trained professionals) was having a profound impact on the ability of the East German economy to function; and Ulbricht wanted it stopped.

The story is pure myth. Don't believe it.

Cheers, mate.

Answer 3

Son of alcohol smugglers, runners and crooked politicians One international government and socialism short and pungent and grimy. In his ideas He offered the vote by utilising giving out welfare to the ghetto people. None he led to particularly some dissension. He beloved to sneak females into the White homestead and skinny dip. He had no know for the WH or his spouse. He exchange right into a drug addict and drank heavily. And womanized each time he could. He exchange right into a great Liar who pretended he exchange right into a extreme high quality Catholic relatives guy and Father. Phony as 0bama previous JFK exchange into. Like all of them are.

Answer 4

Its total garbage.

Walter Ulbricht made a speech in which he said "Nobody is going to build a wall" just a few weeks before the went up.

Answer 5

Urban legend, the Berlin Wall was up long before JFK became president.

Answer 6

True