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Who was the most influential person involved in the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall?

Lucien Kurton

Well, that's a tough question. There were many people involved in the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall, each one contributing in their own way to one of the most significant events of the Cold War.

One of the most influential figures of the time was Walter Ulbricht, who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of East Germany from 1950 until 1971. He was instrumental in the decision to build the Wall in 1961, arguing that it was necessary to prevent the "brain drain" of East German intellectuals and professionals to West Germany.

Despite facing criticism for his policies that led to the stagnation of East Germany's economy and the suppression of political dissent, Ulbricht remained a prominent figure in East German politics until his dismissal in 1971. His legacy continues to be debated, with some praising him for his efforts to build a socialist state in East Germany while others view him as a symbol of repression.

Another important figure in the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall was Erich Honecker, who succeeded Ulbricht as the leader of East Germany. Honecker's tenure was marked by efforts to improve relations with West Germany and other Western countries, but he also presided over a regime that was becoming increasingly isolated and economically stagnant.

Honecker's decision to allow travel from East to West Germany in November 1989 was a pivotal moment in the fall of the Berlin Wall, as it led to a surge of East Germans crossing into West Germany, eventually leading to the dismantling of the Wall itself.

Other figures who played a significant role in the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall include US President John F. Kennedy, who famously declared "Ich bin ein Berliner" in a speech in West Berlin in 1963, and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, whose policies of glasnost and perestroika contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

Overall, it's difficult to single out one figure as the most influential in the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall. It was a complex and multifaceted event that involved many actors and factors, from political leaders to ordinary citizens who finally stood up against division and oppression.