About This Blog

Welcome to "JFK : The Berlin Issue"

I'm a 3rd year student at Library School and this blog was realized as part of the English and Computer Science lessons.


The blog contains short articles about :

• JFK in relationship with communism, 
• the situation in Berlin at that period
• and the president's visit to Germany's capital city

Have a nice tour

See :
http://www.mescaillouxblancs.com/2011/08/flashback-juin-1963-john-f-kennedy-en-visite-a-berlin/

Berlin Airlift

Berlin blockade :

• In order to control the entire city of Berlin, in 1948, the Soviets blocked the Western Allies' way to provide the city in food and fuel. By doing so, the Soviets could begin to supply the Berliners themselves.

Berliners watching a C-54 land at Tempelhof Airport (1948)

 Berlin airlift :

• The United States Air Force and British Royal Air Force were sent by the Western Allies to deliver cargos to the Berliners. The operation succeded and the supply was even more efficient than when it was by railway.
• The blockade was finally over in May 1949 and resulted in the division of Germany :
• West Germany = The Federal Republic of Germany, including West Berlin
• East Germany = German Democratic Republic, including East Berlin

 See :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Blockade 

"I'm a Jelly Doughnut"

Jelly Doughnuts

An urban legend :

• There is a well known story about Kennedy's phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner". It is said that he made a grammar error and the sentence sorted out as "I am a Jelly Doughnut". He should have said "Ich bin Berliner", signifying "I am a Berliner".

In reality :

• But it seems that it is only but a story. There was a man, the president's official interpreter in Germany, who translate the sentence for him. He even rehearsed it with JFK before his speech.
• It was written on a paper in "english phonetics" for him to pronounciate the words correctly.

JFK's memo

Conclusion :

• Even though it might have been proven that JFK never intended to say that he was a Jelly Doughnut, it's still a great reminder of his most famous speech.

See :

http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/jfk_berliner.htm

http://j.poitou.free.fr/bln/b/1963.html

http://alitypeswords.blogspot.be/2012/08/i-dont-think-youre-ready-for-this-jelly.html