A guard ran after her, shouting for her to stop-and escaped to the West himself.
One of the most ingenious escapes was accomplished by a young photographer. He convinced the Soviet authorities that this date, twelfth anniversary of the founding of the East German Democratic Republic, might be fittingly observed by paying tribute to the border guards who were so effectively performing their duties in protecting East Berlin from Western spies and saboteurs. He arranged that a group of attractive women would be photographed at Checkpoint Charlie, in the act of presenting bouquets of flowers to the guard. He snapped one photograph after another and with each picture moved closer and closer to the white line marking the border. Just as the guard called out to him, “Be careful that you don’t step across the line!” he turned and ran into the West.

“I am a Berliner”

Construction of the Wall was completed in 1963, and West Berlin was sealed off. In June of that year, President John F. Kennedy flew into the city. Torn paper, rice, and flowers showered from windows and rooftops as the president’s limousine made its way through the city. People stood on the top of automobiles and buses, clung to lampposts, and climbed trees to
catch sight of the U.S. president. No American leader had ever been greeted with such joy and obvious popularity. After his inspecting the Wall from on the top of a platform at Checkpoint Charlie, he made a speech to the large crowd. He entranced himself by saying: “All free men, wherever they live, are citizens of Berlin. And therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words: Ich bin ein Berliner (I am a Berliner).
Every U.S. president after him dutifully visited Berlin, and in 1987, R. Reagan asked Gorbachev “to open the Brandenburg Gate.”

Political Changes

The years between building the Wall and the 1980s also saw changes in politics and leaders, both in the West and the Communist world.

West Berlin continued to hold the status of both a city and a state of West Germany. But it was not fully a part of West Germany because four Allied powers remained in occupation. The Western Allies would not sign a treaty that would formally end their occupation, because to do so, they would have to recognize East Berlin as a separate country with Berlin as its capital. However, by the end of 1973, sixty-eight countries had established full diplomatic relations with East Germany. Others would follow suit.