It’s the first chapter in a brand new podcast miniseries that looks at the fall of the Iron Curtain and the popular culture of the Cold War. To start us off, I look at the watershed event from 30 years ago that marked the beginning of the end of four decades of conflict and tension between the super powers: the opening of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. I look at the history of the wall, talk about Berlin’s importance in the Cold War, and go in depth about what brought about the wall’s eventual demise. Plus, I talk about songs inspired by the wall as well as my featured piece of pop culture, John Le Carre’s The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.
You can listen here:
Apple Podcasts: Pop Culture Affidavit
Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page
After the cut, here are some extras from this episode …
Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech:
Classic newsreel footage on the Berlin Blockade:
Classic newsreel footage on the first anniversary of the wall:
“Heroes” by David Bowie:
Ronald Reagan’s speech at the Berlin Wall:
West of the Wall by Toni Fisher:
David Hasselhoff performing “Looking for Freedom” at the Berlin Wall on December 31, 1989:
The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall by Mary Elise Sarotte (via Amazon)
Pop Culture Affidavit 