What was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier put up by the German Democratic Republic in 1961 to divide Berlin into two parts; East and West. It was originated due to the Cold War between the capitalist western countries and the communist eastern countries. The wall remained a testimony of the division of Europe into the east and West by what is popularly known as the Iron curtain.
What provoked the construction of the Berlin Wall?
The primary reasons for the construction of the Berlin Wall included:
Preventing defection: GDR put up the wall to ensure that its people could not escape to the West Berlin, that was free and economically developed.
Political control: The wall as proposed was meant to strengthen the regime’s authority in East Germany and especially to eliminate the influence of ‘the evil’ western world.
Symbolic suppression: The wall was also a symbol of the great soviet union power, that divided east and west europe.
Berlin Wall Basic Facts
Here are some important facts about the Berlin Wall:
1. Construction and Structure
This boundary stretched to a distance of about 155 kilometers (96 miles) through concrete barriers, barbed wire, watchtowers, and a ‘death strip’ through which guards could move around. This was fully protected by armed guards of GDR.
2. Fall of the Berlin Wall
It will be recalled that the destruction of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 was indicative of the cold war which had been prevalent for some time. People breached the wall which following the reunification of east and west Germany culminating to theputting an end to the soviet union.
3. Impact on Lives
The Berlin Wall had a profound impact on the lives of people living on both sides:
Divided families: People got estranged; they were initially allowed to communicate with friends and families only after years and decades later.
Escape attempts: Some citizens tried to escape challenging the GDR and death in order to achieve personal freedom in West Berlin.
Symbol of oppression: The wall acted as a recorder of the kind of freedom and possibilities that the communism prohibited in the society.
Remembering the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall should not be forgotten as it represented the Cold War. This research has proveds the importance of the study of history and the lives of individuals around the globe. This part of history has raised structure such as landmarks, museums and memorial to represent the wall.
1. Berlin Wall Memorial
The site of the Berlin Wall Memorial and the Bernauer Strasse incorporates an historical exhibition with part of a preserved section of the Wall with information and details concerning its construction and a number of fates of individuals who lived nearby.
2. East Side Gallery
The East Side Gallery is the outdoor museum that presents more than 100 paintings on the length of 1,3 km of the firstcheck the original wal. World famous artists have designed colorful and engaging paintings along with relevant themes, making it an important tourist destination.
In Conclusion
Since then the understanding of the cold war and the division between East and West has gained a new simple icon; the Berlin Wall. Studying its history gives the viewer insight into the political ramifications of both political principals and the lust for liberty. It is important however to remember the lessons that the building of such barriers teaching to avoid the practice at all in the future.
