Fall of the Berlin Wall is an historical event that ended an era. This was a weakening of the Cold War between the West and East. In this article, we’ll take a look at the effect of the fall of the Berlin Wall on the world.

The Cold War and the Berlin Division

After World War II, Germany was divided into two separate states: the Federal Republic of Germany, i.e. West Germany, and the German Democratic Republic, i.e. East Germany. The city was also divided into Berlin (West) and Berlin (East).

The Cold War was a period of political tension between the United States and Soviet Union and both sides promoting their ideologies. This conflict was symbolized by the division of Berlin, with the Berlin Wall of 1961, constructed as a physical barrier of separation between family and friend.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Triggering Event

On 9 November 1989, a government official announced mistakenly that the border between East and West Berlin would open in an instant. There were thousands on the border crossings, and the East and West Germans just tore the wall down. It started with something that was unexpected, it was the product of years of the build up of those tensions.

Significance of the Fall

The fall of the Berlin Wall was a pivotal moment in history for several reasons:

• Symbolic Reunification: Reunification of East and West Germany was represented with the dismantling of the wall. For some families separated for decades, it brought joy, and was the end of communist rule in East Germany.
• End of the Cold War: The fall of the wall brought on a huge drop in Cold War tensions. It showed thawing of East and West and led to dissolution of the Soviet Union.
• Symbol of Freedom: Symbolising oppression and lack of individual freedom, the Berlin Wall. It became a powerful metaphor for democratic and human rights success.

Aftermath of the Fall

Political Changes

A lot of political changes followed the reunification of Germany. In order to integrate East and West Germany economically, socially, and politically the German government enacted policies. Massive investment went into East Germany’s infrastructure for a smooth transition in this process.

Global Repercussions

The fall of the Berlin Wall sent shockwaves around the world and had a profound impact on global politics:

• End of the Cold War: The end of the Soviet Union began when the Berlin Wall came down. It helped collapse of communist regimes all over Eastern Europe and brought an end to the Cold War.
• Changing Global Order: Unification of Germany and end of the Soviet union had tremendous ramifications. It changed balance of power and moved nations interests and allegiances.
• Peaceful Revolution: The fall of the Berlin Wall was the power of peaceful protests and non violent resistance. It inspired something similar across the globe, the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia and the end of apartheid in South Africa.

Conclusion

That was a seminal moment in history, the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is far more significant than just Germany and the Cold War. This was the triumph of freedom and democracy over oppression; that was dismantling this physical barrier. It was the signal of a new page in international relations, and wooden the passage to a changed world order. The Berlin Wall falling will always go down as one of the most historical of events.