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Was East Berlin Communist or Democratic?

by | Mar 7, 2024 | World War Tour Berlin

East Berlin as the capital of East Germany was a distinct city from 1949 and 1990 before the reunification of Germany of. At the same time East Berlin was politically governed by Socialist Unity Party, which represents communism. Thus East Berlin was a state where communism existed.

 

The Political Scenario of East Berlin

To provide the reader with the examples of explicitly political nature of East Berlin one should start with the brief historical background of division of Germany after the World War II. Following the war, Germany was divided into two separate entities: There are two separate entities that have been recognized that is the Federal Republic of Germany also known as West Germany and the other is the German Democratic Republic or was known as East Germany.

 

The east Berlin was situated in the area of German Democratic Republic and was controlling the political and the administrative system of the nation. overnment of East Germany was stablised with its political structure, roots as well as decision of Marxist – Leninist type.

 

Soviet Rule in East Berlin

The SED was controlling all centers of political, media, economic and educational powers in the East Berlin as the ruling party in East Germany. In effect of centralized command economy that was executed by the SED state , the production and distribution of goods and services was centrally directed.

 

In addition, monitoring was also executed by the secret police called Stasi, flourishing in East Berlin. The Stasi closely watched the development among the population who wanted nothing more than to get the state’s control off their backs. People’s rights were intensely violated and any form of resistance to the regime was intensely punished.

 

Effects On Everyday Life in East Berlin

Communist state living affected and transformed the daily existence assumed by the people of East Berlin. It ultimately defined that which occupation one was allowed to take, where one was allowed to reside and what he was allowed to purchase. Thus, personal liberties were curtailed, and bodily autonomy almost completely eradicated.

 

Probably one of he most signifying landmarks of East and West Berlin was the Berlin Wall which Area was constructed in 1961. This bar made it physically impossible to mix between the communism of the east and the democracy of the west. It just emphasized a difference in political arrangement of the two systems.

 

Advantages Linked to East Berlin

Although the communists limited the rights of the common population in East Berlin, they were also generous occasionally. Civil and political liberties including10 rights involved core needs of the citizens which included homes, health, and education were normally provided by the state. The government greatly pumped resources into such areas in its effort to present the face of a progressing society.

 

By closely concentrating on welfare programs it was to promote the definite support for the regime among the population of East Berlin. Nonetheless, many of these provisions were achieved at the cost of liberty and political sovereignty of persons.

 

The Situation of the Berlin Wall: The Fall and Reunification

The mirror dividing communism from democracy known as the Berlin Wall attracted the attention of the world. Thus, in 1989 due to uprising of protest and pressures within and outside the East Germany the government began to open the border posts between East and West Berlin.

 

This by and large event signified the gradual dismantling of communism in East Berlin. In 1990 Germany was reunified and so marked the end of East Berlin being anything different from West Berlin. It was returned to the fold of a democratic Germany and most of the vestiges of communism were done away with.

 

The Legacy of East Berlin

Interestingly while communism did not live long in East Berlin, the spirit of this city is still felt in today’s world. A researcher can even note the signs of separation in the physical and social environments even today. Nonetheless, Berlin that is now reunified looks very different, that is, it, perhaps, has decided on democracy, freedoms for people, and sound economical development.

 

Presently, the East Berlin symbolizes the impacts of the split in ideas and victory of democracy over communism.

 

Conclusion

All in all, East Berlin was a part of comunistic state which political power belonged to the Socialist Unity Party. Being in East Berlin meant having a mere basic freedom, virtually every thing was so controlled by the government, and there was the Stasi. But of course we have to understand that the destruction of the Berlin Wall and the reunification means the end of a system, the end of communism and east Berlin belongs to a united democratic Germany today.

 

Was East Berlin Communist or Democratic?