On April 2, Global Guide Ingolf Boettcher of Germany presented his workshop at the Bronx Leadership Academy on peaceful protests and the fall of the Berlin Wall. A native of former East Germany, Ingolf was able to lend his own personal experience to the workshop.
After introducing the class to Germany’s popular sports and music, Ingolf delved into the country’s 20th century history, particularly its division during the Cold War. He explained how after World War II, the Russians remained in Germany, occupying East Germany and East Berlin. Thus East Germany became another satellite state of the Soviet Union. He talked about how the wall that divided Berlin became a symbol of the Cold War and the division between the Soviet Union and the West.
Ingolf was able to share stories from his own experiences to illustrate for students what life was like growing up in East Berlin in the 1980’s. He explained how, for example, it was illegal to watch television programs from the west even though their televisions picked up such shows. Also, travel restrictions prohibited Ingolf from visiting family members in West Germany, although West Germans were allowed to visit East Germany. Additionally, the East German police encouraged people to spy on their neighbors and report any illegal or suspicious activities to the police.
Ingolf explained how peaceful protests by enough Germans kept pressure on East German authorities to end the division of the country. He linked this non-violent resistance to instances of peaceful protest in the U.S. such as the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks in the Montgomery bus boycotts. Ingolf pointed out how in both cases, non-violent means resulted in far-reaching societal changes. In Germany, the wall came down in 1989 and contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Ingolf had an excellent activity prepared to help students connect the topic of peaceful protests to their own lives. In small groups he had students come up with their own ideas for peaceful protests to change something in their community or society. Students designed posters for their own movements and brainstormed ideas on how to achieve their goals through peaceful means. Each group then presented their cause to the rest of the class.
After introducing the class to Germany’s popular sports and music, Ingolf delved into the country’s 20th century history, particularly its division during the Cold War. He explained how after World War II, the Russians remained in Germany, occupying East Germany and East Berlin. Thus East Germany became another satellite state of the Soviet Union. He talked about how the wall that divided Berlin became a symbol of the Cold War and the division between the Soviet Union and the West.
Ingolf was able to share stories from his own experiences to illustrate for students what life was like growing up in East Berlin in the 1980’s. He explained how, for example, it was illegal to watch television programs from the west even though their televisions picked up such shows. Also, travel restrictions prohibited Ingolf from visiting family members in West Germany, although West Germans were allowed to visit East Germany. Additionally, the East German police encouraged people to spy on their neighbors and report any illegal or suspicious activities to the police.
Ingolf explained how peaceful protests by enough Germans kept pressure on East German authorities to end the division of the country. He linked this non-violent resistance to instances of peaceful protest in the U.S. such as the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks in the Montgomery bus boycotts. Ingolf pointed out how in both cases, non-violent means resulted in far-reaching societal changes. In Germany, the wall came down in 1989 and contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Ingolf had an excellent activity prepared to help students connect the topic of peaceful protests to their own lives. In small groups he had students come up with their own ideas for peaceful protests to change something in their community or society. Students designed posters for their own movements and brainstormed ideas on how to achieve their goals through peaceful means. Each group then presented their cause to the rest of the class.
