The Berlin Wall: Kennedy Visit (June 1963)

Figure 1.--Who could have thought just a few years earlier that an American president would have been received as a hero by the Gernman peopkle. President Kennedy traved to Germany to deliver the most important speech of his presidency in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. Here he is in Cologne. The press caption read, "President Kennedy has his hands full outside the city hall here June 23. His shakes hands with a little boy and others who reach past policemen to greet him. Cheering Germans broke through police lines and swrmed arojnd him after his declaration that any attack on U.S. allies in Europe would be regarded as an attack on the U.S. itself., He arrived here early June 23 for the start of a European visit."

President Kennedy visited Berlin in 1963 to demonstrate American resolve in this vulnerable outpost of freedom. How time has changed. Berlin when President Kenndy was a young man, was the NAZI capital and seen as a center of evil. Now thanks to the Soviets, Berlin was now a symbol of freedom and of American resolve to protect that freedom. Before a huge crowd in West Berlin he delivered one of the seminal speeches of the Cold War. He told Berliners abd the Free World, "There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin. Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us." Along side the President was the Schoeneberger Saengerknaben Choir which served as an inspiration for the people of Berlin during the darkets days of the Cold War. President Kennedy's speech along with Prime-Minister Churchill's Iron Curtain and President Reagan's "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!" speech are the best remembered public statements during the Cold War. Interestingly the best remembered Soviet appearance was Premier Khruchev banging his shoe at the United Nations.

Kennedy Visit

President Kennedy visited Berlin in 1963 to demonstrate American resolve in this vulnerable outpost of freedom. How time has changed. Berlin when President Kenndy was a young man, was the NAZI capital and seen as a center of evil. Kennedy while his father was ambassador to Britain actually vidited NAZI Germany. This of course was before the War. He had ugly experiences with uniformed NAZIs. Now thanks to the Soviets, Berlin was now a symbol of freedom and of American resolve to protect that freedom.

Speech in Berlin (June 26, 1963)

Before a huge crowd in West Berlin, in the shadow of the Wall, President Kennedy delivered one of the seminal speeches of the Cold War. He told Berliners abd the Free World, "There are many people in the world who really don't understand, or say they don't, what is the great issue between the free world and the Communist world. Let them come to Berlin. There are some who say that communism is the wave of the future. Let them come to Berlin. And there are some who say in Europe and elsewhere we can work with the Communists. Let them come to Berlin. And there are even a few who say that it is true that communism is an evil system, but it permits us to make economic progress. Lass' sie nach Berlin kommen. Let them come to Berlin. Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us."

Berlin Choir Boys

The Wall was the Communist symbol of East Berlin. One of the most notable symbols of West Germany was a small group of choirv boys. And along side the President was the Schoeneberger Saengerknaben Choir which served as an inspiration for the people of Berlin during the darkets days of the Cold War.

Other Notable Statements

President Kennedy's speech along with Prime-Minister Churchill's Iron Curtain were seminal statements defining the Cold War. President Kennedy was not the only American President to speak out against this great concrete scar on humnanity. The other was President Reagan. Just as the Cold war essentially began in Berlin. It would also end in Berlin. The end began when President Reagan stood before the Wall and challenged "Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!" speech are the best remembered public statements during the Cold War. Interestingly the best remembered Soviet appearance was Premier Khruchev banging his shoe at the United Nations.

Created: 12:44 AM 8/1/2012
Last updated: 10:20 PM 8/23/2012