This is commonly suggested as the event which touched off the Berlin crisis of 1958-1962, potentially one of the most dangerous disputes of the Cold War era. .
Located 110 miles past the Iron Curtain, surrounded by Soviet satellites and close to supply lines, Berlin had been occupied by the Allied forces since the completion of World War II, and had been divided into four sectors. Berlin was of particularly strategic importance to the West who used it as a critical base for intelligence and espionage. Deep within the cloak of communism, Berlin was the West's only window into the Soviet world. More so, Berlin was a test, a symbol of Western resolve and bravery. Berlin was the example that needed to be set in order for the world to understand the superiority of the U.S over the Soviet Union. .
Although not nearly as useful for intelligence to the Soviets, Berlin nevertheless, was crucial for ulterior reasons. After WWII, Stalin and his comrades had neatly mapped out an ideological empire with one thorn-Berlin. With its unmitigated access to the "free" world, the city was an ideal escape route for disgruntled intelligista and professionals, resulting in the so-called brain drain. Vast numbers of workers were lured to West Berlin with the promise of higher salaries. In 1959 about 144,000 persons fled; in 1960 the figure rose to 199,000; and in the first seven months of 1961, about 207,000 left the country. German Democratic Republic leader Walter Ulbricht vents his frustration to Khrushchev in the following discourse:.
West Berlin has strengthened economically. This is seen in the fact that about 50,000 workers from East Berlin are now still working in West Berlin. Thus, a part of the qualified working force goes to work in West Berlin, since there are higher salaries there. For example, teachers in the West earn 200-300 marks more than in the East. Doctors also earn two times more there. All of these circumstances exert influence on the less politically conscious part of the intelligentsia.
