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The Conflict of the Berlin Wall

by | Mar 7, 2024 | World War Tour Berlin

The Berlin Wall was a physical and ideological barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Its construction was a significant event during the Cold War, the geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Wall represented a vivid symbol of the division between the communist East and the capitalist West.

The Background

Berlin was divided in four sectors after World War II, each controlled by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. The tensions between the Soviet Union and the West Allies escalated and we went into the Cold War. After 1949 the western sectors of Berlin were united to form West Germany; the Soviet sector became East Germany.

The Construction of the Wall

In early hours of August 13, 1961, began construction of the Berlin Wall. Her purpose, according to the government of the East German state, under Soviet influence, was to protect the socialist state from the influence of Western imperialism. Even so, the real reason was not to prevent East Germans from bolting for the West.

From concrete, 155 kilometers (or 96 miles) long, the Wall ran through East and West Berlin and divided the city. The barriers included a death strip and barbed wire fences, watchtowers and trenches. It was the death strip, the strip of land which contained obstacles and anti-vehicle trenches and was guarded by guards, to be instructed to shoot anyone who tried to escape.

The Impact on Berliners

The building of the Berlin Wall made a big difference in the life of Berliners. It destroyed families, friends, and communities. East Germans were trapped in the eastern part of the city and unable to visit, much less communicate with, their loved ones in the West. The whole thing was a climate of fear, oppression and constant surveillance.

The same Wall also inspired resistance and resilience from the people. But Berliners found ways around the barriers and supported each other instead. People present cut tunnels under Wall to assist escaping residents towards the West. One famous example would be “Checkpoint Charlie,” a crossing point that got an international notice.

The Beginning of the End

The Wall was opposed by the public over the years, in East and West Germany. And in 1989, under Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union made political reforms. This prompted a changing political landscape and in November 9 of 1989 the East German government announced that the border could be crossed freely by people.

Thousands of people showed up at the Wall and celebrated the news. That’s how they started pulling parts the Wall down with pickaxes and hammers, chasing the dividing line. Germany re-united under a democratic system after being unified once again.

The Legacy of the Berlin Wall

A great moment in history was the fall of the Berlin Wall. And more than that most importantly, it was the physical reunification of Berlin and the symbolic end of the Cold War. The Wall became a symbol for the resilience of the human spirit and hunger for freedom.

Parts of what is now a memorial to the Wall remain in place today, and are used to remind of the costs of division and the necessity of unity. Still, the Berlin Wall remains a powerful symbol for hope, which brings the victory of the human will to overcome obstacles and achieve peace.

The Conflict of the Berlin Wall