When the Wall Came Down

When the Wall Came Down
By Serge Schmemann
Kingfisher, 2006. 127 pgs. Young Adult Nonfiction

Schmemann, who was a New York Times correspondent in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down, talks about how the Berlin Wall came to be, with WWII's conclusion quickly followed by the rise of the Cold War. With East Germans, eager to flee their now-Communist country fleeing in vast numerous to West Germany via Berlin, the Communist leaders built the wall and sought to solidify power throughout Eastern Europe. However, decades later, the people in East Germany began calling for change, and eventually, change did come and the wall, the most visible symbol of the Iron Curtain, no longer divided the country. With changes in travel restrictions came a call for reunification of the country, and shortly, Germany did reunite, and many Soviet countries and satellites similarly called for an end to communism.

This is a good overview of recent German history and provides readers with a beginner's understanding of the political climate during the Cold War. The writing style mixed in some first person observations into the text, which interrupted the flow somewhat (I think it would have been better as sidebars), but still, it's informative and accessible, making it a good choice for teen readers.

AE