Twenty First Century European history was inevitably shaped by the Berlin Wall standing tall as a symbol of division and oppression. From 1961 to 1989, this physical and ideological concrete barrier divided the city of Berlin. In this article we’ll go through the historical context, how it was made, its effects, and finally its fall down, to give a view on the East Germany period.

The Historical Context: Rise of Communism: East Germany

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones of occupation by the United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and France. The Russian (Soviet) zone became the German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany) in 1949.

East Germany turned into a communist state during the Cold War dominated by the Soviet Union. In March 1949, the ruling Socialist Unity Party established an authoritarian regime to tightly control all aspects of daily life, muffle political dissent, and restrict travel and contact with the outside world.

Berlin Wall Construction

The Berlin Wall went up overnight on August 13, 1961, when the East German government began to erect it. This 155-kilometer long barrier of concrete walls and electrified barbed wire fences, and guard towers was a physical barrier to West Berlin, closing it off from East Berlin and the lands that lay beyond.

The official reasons for building were prevention of Western influence, protection from espionage, and defense of the socialist state. But the main reason the wall was built was to stop the flood of East Germans seeking freedom or at least a better economic life in West Germany.

The Daily Life: In the Shadow of the Wall

The Berlin Wall had a huge influence on the life of East and West Berliners. Strict controls on travel and communication meant that people living in East Germany were by and large no longer free. Its secret police were known as the Stasi, and they watched citizens, spied in social circles and squelched any dissent.

Widespread food and housing shortages were basic amenities in East Germany. The divided capital made parts of the West prosperous and made the East a wreck. East Germans dreamed of crossing the wall to the other side but would run the risk of meeting grave consequences if caught trying to flee.

The Historical Turning Point: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

As with most things that divide computers from the rest of things, the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall was a big deal, a moment when Western and Eastern Europe shook off the shadow of the Cold War and re-united. The Soviet Union’s power and economic decaying in East Germany, and the mass protests which needed freedom to come down all helped in the collapse of the wall.

East German authorities unexpectedly announced relaxed travel regulations for East Germans on November 9, 1989. Thousands of people came to the border crossings, and overwhelmed guards at last open the gates to a jubilant reunion between East and West Berliners.

Legacy, and Lessons Learned

So too, the Berlin Wall is a solemn reminder of the bitter human cost of division and totalitarian regimes. Its collapse revealed the will to freedom and democracy in the people of the world. The challenge and opportunity was East Germany, in the wake of its reunification, was still in the throes of an economic and social transformation.

Today fragments of the wall act as historical landmarks and memorials. But there are museums, too, like the Berlin Wall Memorial and the DDR Museum, to help you understand what it was like at the time, so the wall will not be forgotten.

Conclusion

East Germany and the Berlin Wall are a history lesson of the price for divisions and oppressive regimes have on the society. The fall of the wall is evidence of the spirit of the human that will not be overcome. To understand modern Germany and its importance of human rights and democratic values we must learn about this historical period.

References:

• Smith, P. (2014). The Berlin Wall: 1961–1961, 9 November 1989. Osprey Publishing.
• MacGregor, N. (2014). The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961–1989. Penguin Books.
• Levin, D. (2006). Conflict and Peace: The Walls Between. US Institute of Peace Press.