The Cold War was from 1947 to 1991 when the United States and the Soviet Union competed to see who could reach their goals for supremacy in the world. The effect on the world was major, and the most blatant effect is manifest in the city of Berlin. In this blog post we will examine how the Cold War influenced Berlin and how it has shaped Berlin’s history and development.

The Division of Berlin

After the Second World War, Germany was divided into four occupation zones all controlled by a victorious Allied power. Similarly, even though the instance of Berlin was that of the Berlin, which had happened to be in the Soviet zone, it was split into four. Tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union rose quickly, though, and Berlin was divided between East and West.

The Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was the most obvious symbol of the consequences of the Cold War in Berlin. In 1961, the East German government built a wall to keep its citizens from bolting for the West. The Berlin people suffered psychologically and emotionally with this physical barrier, it separated families and friends ().

Checkpoint Charlie

The most famous of the border crossings between East and West Berlin was Checkpoint Charlie. Instead, it became a symbol of Cold War tension and of the two sides. Today it serves as a monument to the division that once existed in the city.

Life in East Berlin

Conditions for living were considerably worse in East Berlin than in West Berlin. The Soviet controlled East went to socialism, while the democratic West went to economic prosperity and freedom.

Stasi – The Secret Police

Under surveillance and repression, the secret police of East Germany (the Stasi) had control over the population. Both of them were felt even by east Berliners in their daily lives, in a climate of fear and suspicion.

The Trabant

The Trabant was one of the most iconic symbols of life in East Berlin: an inefficient little car that hardly lived up to its name. The Trabant design incorporated obvious signs of scarcity and limitation, imposed by the socialist regime.

Impact on Culture and Arts

Cultural scene for Berlin was greatly influenced by the division of Berlin. This formed an original landscape of art on the contrast between the socialist realism being promoted in the East, and the avant gardes in the West.

Checkpoint Gallery

Checkpoint Gallery near Checkpoint Charlie was used as a canvas to express views on the political situation by artists. Worldwide it became known as the symbol of artistic resistance to political oppression.

The Berlin Wall as a Canvas

With the fall of the Berlin Wall artists also had the chance to use the ruins of the Wall to create a symbol of free indivuduality. It’s a powerful testimony to city’s resilience: the East Side Gallery is a section of the Wall painted with murals.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The 1989’s fall of the Berlin Wall is a historic event which opened the way to the end of the Cold War. The reunification of East and West Germany caused a huge change for Berlin.

Brandenburg Gate

The Brandenburg Gate in the heart of Berlin was the sign of German reunification. It is an ever reminder of the city’s brutal history and a beacon of hope and unity.

Rebuilding and Integration

After the Wall fell, Berlin began to integrate and rebuild, on both sides of the Wall. It developed and grew quickly, becoming a vibrant and cosmopolitan capital from once divided city.

Conclusion

The Cold War was not something that touched Berlin lightly. Its history was shaped by the division of the city, the construction of the Berlin Wall and reunification. Berlin today is a testimony of people’s resistance and a map of consequences of ideological conflicts.