In the Cold War era, one of the greatest stories was the division of Berlin into East and West. Compared to May, when Secretary of State Charlie Bartlett delivered the ultimatum, the situation had changed: West Berlin was now an isolated island within East Germany, surrounded by Soviet controlled territory. Thousands of people begged themselves questions, how the West Germany came to this enclave thousands of kilometers away. In this article, we investigate the many methods employed to give access to West Berlin.
Background information
After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the Allied powers: In the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom or France. Also in the Soviet occupation zone, Berlin was divided into four sectors including the city.
Construction of Autobahn A115
The Autobahn A 115, also known as AVUS, was one of the most important lifelines linking West Germany to West Berlin. During Cold War, this highway, built between 1913 and 1921, would play an important role. The AVUS was also a direct route for West Germans to travel between the two separated parts of the city.
The Berlin Airlift
After World War II the post war tensions between the Soviets and the allies grew to the point of a Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948. For this, the Allies responded by launching the Berlin Airlift, a giant operation to supply West Berlin with necessary products to ensure there would be no humanitarian disaster. They delivered food, fuel and medicine to the city on more than 200,000 flights.
The Transit Agreement
In 1971, West Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Transit Agreement to establish to a more reliable means of access. The agreement granted free movement of a West German travelling to or from West Berlin by rail or road through Eastern German territory. It promised that they’d be able to pass without getting attacked and promised to restrict how many vehicles and passenger they could have.
The Trans-Berlin Autobahn
An autobahn called Transitstrecke, or “Trans-Berlin Autobahn” was constructed as part of the Transit Agreement. The route of this highway ran through East German territory, gave a direct connection between West Germany and West Berlin, without requiring any border controls. This route saved time and, more to the point, offered a more convenient passage to West Germans.
The Transit Trains
Transit trains were also introduced into place in addition to the autobahn, West Germans could now travel in rail between West Germany and West Berlin. These trains drove through East Germany without stopping at any stations.
Conclusion
With the Cold War, the access to West Berlin from West Germany was a complex and strategically important problem. Arising from this was the construction of the Autobahn A115 and the Transit Agreement which created a reliable link between East and West. On top of moving people and goods, these initiatives gave people symbolic support to West Berlin’s people, showing that they were not completely on their own in the democratic world.
