Chapter 36

The large-scale construction of Khrushchev buildings provided almost all Soviet citizens with their own homes. These unattractive high-rise buildings were built on a massive scale, allowing almost every Soviet family to solve their housing problems. According to the positioning of these buildings, they could be considered the forerunners of affordable housing.

East Berlin has a total of eight districts. After discussing with Marcus Wolf, Khrushchev decided to allocate the construction teams entering Berlin based on the size of the districts and the amount of work required. Generally, one country would support one district, but the number of foreign construction teams aiding Berlin's urban development varied, so some adjustments were made.

At the same time, the International Socialist Alliance Aid Construction Committee was established to coordinate the renovation of Greater Berlin. A famous Romanian architect was elected as the head, responsible for the specific operations of the entire aid construction project.

"Today, we gather in the capital of the German Democratic Republic, Greater Berlin, with a noble revolutionary sentiment!" Khrushchev, dressed in his major general's uniform, raised his glass to thank the aid workers from different countries. "Personally, I feel very fortunate to be part of this noble work. The fact that brother countries have extended a helping hand to Berlin demonstrates pure revolutionary friendship and deep internationalism. It makes me feel as if I am back in the early days of the Soviet Union, when countless people with the same ideals brought about great changes in the Soviet Union. Thank you, Romanian comrades, Bulgarian comrades, Polish comrades, Czechoslovak comrades, Hungarian comrades, Yugoslav comrades, and Albanian comrades!"

Each time Khrushchev expressed his gratitude, a round of enthusiastic applause followed. "Long live the simple working people! Long live the great proletariat! Long live the socialist movement!" After Khrushchev finished speaking, the venue erupted in a wave of applause. He was confident that the emotions he saw were genuine.

Khrushchev, shaking his head, stepped down from the podium, vowing never to participate in such enthusiastic scenes again. "This won't do. Spending too much time with noble people will make me forget my duties, and that's not good!"

If even Khrushchev himself forgot his purpose, decades later, when people recalled this enthusiastic conference, they would only say these people were fools. Why would they leave their own countries to aid construction without high salaries? They must have been brainwashed by an evil government. Those people don't understand what revolutionary friendship means or what internationalism is! When those who mock them look around, they will find that the only industrial foundation of their country and the houses they live in were built by those brainwashed fools. As for themselves, they have achieved nothing...

The day after the conference, Khrushchev found Marcus Wolf again and handed him a stack of blueprints, which included the layout plans for residential areas and the interior designs of the buildings. These blueprints were not particularly confidential; they were typical layouts for residential areas in 21st-century China, with indoor areas ranging from 70 to 90 square meters. "Comrade Khrushchev, are these the current housing standards in the Soviet Union?" Marcus Wolf asked after glancing at the blueprints.

Ah? No! Khrushchev opened his mouth but said nothing. The current Soviet Union couldn't afford to provide a 90-square-meter apartment for a family. Most Khrushchev buildings were 50 to 70 square meters. The blueprints Khrushchev provided would not appear until the Brezhnev era if the timeline progressed normally.

"First, build a few residential areas to let the Berlin residents see these houses!" Khrushchev knew that building on such a large scale might be too much for the GDR to handle.

Khrushchev provided these blueprints with good intentions. He wasn't there to cause trouble, at least not entirely. If East Berlin's development stagnated and couldn't compete with West Berlin, people in the GDR would still try to move to West Berlin.

The construction teams aiding East Berlin dominated the headlines in the GDR's propaganda newspapers. People enthusiastically discussed the improvement of their housing conditions, and everyone hoped to have their own home, a basic human need. For a time, the focus of private discussions shifted from the Berlin crisis to the Berlin renovation plan. People preferred to talk about more relaxed topics rather than the tense situation.

On April 1st, April Fool's Day, the International Socialist Alliance Aid Construction Committee announced that all buildings in East Berlin would be renovated. Some inadequate living conditions would be demolished, and the residents would receive new homes from the government. The main roads in Berlin would be widened, and the Greater Berlin renovation plan would begin.

Construction teams carrying the flags of various countries entered their designated areas and began investigating which houses needed renovation and which needed to be demolished and rebuilt. East Berlin seemed to awaken from a slumber, entering a state of intense activity. "This kind of friendly and equal cooperation among people, where everyone, regardless of class, works together, can only happen in our country!" Khrushchev said to someone nearby. A Hungarian electrician was asking a German worker about the electrical system, which was clearly different from Hungary's. This scene of people from different countries working together for a common goal was widespread throughout East Berlin.

"The electrical system still needs to be closely monitored, but don't do it all at once. Concentrate the workforce on one district at a time. Once the entire East Berlin power grid is self-sufficient, cut off the power to West Berlin!" Khrushchev instructed calmly. "The underground water system also needs to be reconnected, and finally, block the underground water system of West Berlin! Every step we complete must ensure that the same facilities in West Berlin are disabled!"

"I understand. The support from the First Directorate will arrive tomorrow!" Isayevna responded. These people from different countries spoke different languages, so Khrushchev urgently needed translators. Sending university students was not appropriate, but fortunately, the First Directorate had plenty of such personnel.

"Director, the representatives from the three Western powers in West Berlin have notified us that the two-week negotiation period has ended!" Lukani said hurriedly as she got out of the car.

"The two-week negotiation period has ended!" Khrushchev repeated in a mocking tone, then sneered. "The deadline has passed? Are they delivering an ultimatum? Tell them to get lost! I said no negotiations! Tell them Khrushchev is busy helping the construction teams lay bricks and has no time!" He then seriously instructed Isayevna, "Remind me tomorrow; I need to go to the construction site to lay bricks!"

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