To commemorate the event of the beginning of building the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961, Bear Family releases this extraordinary compilation of historical recordings!

On the 60th anniversary of the construction of the Wall, Bear Family looks back on the escalation of the Cold War from the perspective of the Western Allies with audio samples.

The construction of the Wall within Germany by the GDR regime also deepened the gap between East and West internationally.

Producer Marc Mittelacher uses 34 hand-picked recordings from the years 1949 - 1962, including historic voice recordings, to describe the emotional state and viewpoint, especially of the US Americans.

In addition to well-known songs and performers, the CD album provides true rarities and some German-language recordings.

Audio documents illustrate the role and function of AFN, the U.S. military station in Germany, during the Cold War.

The luxuriously designed edition appeals to both, those interested in history and music collectors, and aims to do it's part to commemorate a historic event and low point in the confrontation between the political power blocs.

Music expert Bill Dahl from Chicago has written the stirring liner notes from a US-American's perspective on the events in Berlin.

The fine booklet includes many rare photos and illustrations.

The arms race between East and West had already begun toward the end of World War 2. In order to end the war in the Pacific and to avoid a loss-making invasion of Japan, the US military demonstrated it's power by dropping two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki - for the Soviet Union and it's vassal states a clear signal of US military strength. The demarcation line between the Soviet and Western Allied occupation zones stretched lengthwise through Germany, which thus became the deploying area for a military conflict that was growing more likely.

Track Listing