Join J. Elke Ertle, author of "Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl's Journey to Freedom," in a discussion about her coming of age in West Berlin during the Cold War.
Ertle was born and raised in the British occupation sector of West Berlin during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Since the three western occupation sectors were located deep inside Germany's communist zone, the Soviets were eager for the Western Allies to withdraw from Berlin and leave the entire city to the Soviets.
To hasten the Western Allies' exit, the Soviets blockaded all ground and water access to the western part of the city. Rather than let West Berliners starve the death, however, the United States, Great Britain and France responded by airlifting all food and coal into the city.
During her 21 years of life in Berlin, Ertle experienced firsthand the effects of the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the construction of the Berlin Wall and John F. Kennedy's much-celebrated Ich-bin-ein-Berliner-speech.
In addition, her rigid parental walls seemed to mimic the Berlin Wall. In 1967, Ertle immigrated to the United States and now lives in San Diego with her husband of 45 years.
Admission/Cost: FREE
Location:
Carlsbad City Library
1250 Carlsbad Village Dr.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Tuesday, April 5 - 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
For more information, please call (760) 602-2049
Ertle was born and raised in the British occupation sector of West Berlin during the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Since the three western occupation sectors were located deep inside Germany's communist zone, the Soviets were eager for the Western Allies to withdraw from Berlin and leave the entire city to the Soviets.
To hasten the Western Allies' exit, the Soviets blockaded all ground and water access to the western part of the city. Rather than let West Berliners starve the death, however, the United States, Great Britain and France responded by airlifting all food and coal into the city.
During her 21 years of life in Berlin, Ertle experienced firsthand the effects of the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the construction of the Berlin Wall and John F. Kennedy's much-celebrated Ich-bin-ein-Berliner-speech.
In addition, her rigid parental walls seemed to mimic the Berlin Wall. In 1967, Ertle immigrated to the United States and now lives in San Diego with her husband of 45 years.
Admission/Cost: FREE
Location:
Carlsbad City Library
1250 Carlsbad Village Dr.
Carlsbad, CA 92008
Tuesday, April 5 - 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
For more information, please call (760) 602-2049
