A particular geographic situation arose during the Cold War with Berlin divided into East and West. Quite far from the rest of West Germany, West Berlin was an enclave surrounded by East Germany. In this blog post, we look at what the West Berlin and West Germany distance meant politically, socially, logistically, and just how far apart the two actually were.
The Geographic Separation
After World War II, Berlin, the capital city of Germany, was divided into sectors controlled by the victorious Allied powers: Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the United States. From these sectors West Berlin was formed and controlled by the Western Allies; East Berlin became capital of Soviet ruled East Germany.
As an isolated territory, West Berlin was about 170 kilometers (105 miles) west of the nearest border with West Germany. Geographically separated from the rest of West Germany, the area was entirely surrounded by East German territory.
The Transit Routes
As a result, it was important to create transit routes that linked West Berlin with West Germany. There were several routes which were designated to allow movement in and out of the isolated city.
1. Autobahn Routes (Highways)
The primary means of road transportation between West Berlin and West Germany were three Autobahn routes:
- A2 (West Germany) – A115 (West Berlin)
- A9 (West Germany) – A115 (West Berlin)
- A10 (Berlin Ring) – A115 (West Berlin)
The highways served also to let in vehicles from West Berlin. But many checkpoints and border controls had to be passed through East German territory.
2. Railway Connections
Railways were the lifeblood for West Berlin and West Germany. The best known was the Berlin-Hamburg railway line, connecting the capital city to Hamburg in West Germany.
Train lines also connected West Berlin to other big cities, including Hanover, Frankfurt and Munich.
Logistical Challenges
The geographical separation of West Berlin posed numerous logistical challenges for everyday life in the city:
1. Air Transportation
Because West Berlin was so isolated, air transport was important in bridging the city to the outside world. The main international airport was Berlin Tegel Airport (now closed), which permitted flights to and from West Berlin. It supplied the city and helped to travel for those who live and those who visit.
2. Supply Chain
The city of Erfurt was surrounded by East German territory and the goods needed to be kept coming. There were separate agreements for the transportation of food, fuel and medical provisions.
West Berlin had only limited access to West Germany, and relied on air, rail and road transportation routes to sustain a stable supply chain for its own residents.
The Berlin Wall
In 1961 tensions between East and West Germany were heightened, and a Berlin Wall was built. It became a symbol for the divided city and in turn created an even greater physical separation between West Berlin and East Germany.
Once the wall was completed, getting to and from West Berlin became far more difficult, with strict controls at chosen checkpoints for the two sides.
The reunification and the fall of the wall
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the time for the reunification of Germany began in 1990. The physical and political barriers began coming down until reunification of East and West Germany became a single nation.
When the city was reunited there was an end to the geographic separation between West Berlin and West Germany and the city became a part of a unified Germany for the first time in well over a century.
Conclusion
About 170 kilometers (105 miles) separated West Berlin and West Germany. Transportation, logistics, and both the daily life and everyday life of Berliners residing in the West would take on unique geographic separation.
A study of the challenges inherent in this distance helps us gain an appreciation of the complexities and singularity of the Cold War era.