The Berlin Wall is a symbol of one of the greatest events in modern history – the Cold War. This concrete wall built in 1961, separated the city of Berlin physically and symbolically for nearly twenty-eight years. What follows is a brief overview of the Berlin Wall in regard to its construction, its role, its effects on the people, and the Wall’s dismantlement. Let’s dive in!
The Berlin Wall: The Beginning
After the end of World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the victorious Allies: the United States, Soviet Union, Britain and France; Similarly, the capital city also came to be partitioned in the Soviet zone as well as contained four sectors as well. However the struggle between the Soviet Union and the other Allies arose hence the formation of two independent nation, West Germany and East Germany.
As much as the purpose of constructing the Wall is clear, the aims of building the Berlin Wall depends with the perspective held of this division.
The Berlin Wall was erected by the German Democratic Republic popularly known as East Germany to close any escape route for East Germans to West Germany. Skilled workers and also the intellectuals were moving en mass to west and this was a serious threat to the East Germany government and its socialist Government. To prevent this, they put up a wall to limit this and ensure everyone wasgainst the ideology that they believed in.
The Impact on the People
The building of Berlin Wall influenced significantly the lives of people living in East and West Berlin. Love ones were alienated, friends lost, and dreams crushed. All of a sudden, people communicated with their families, friends, coworkers and opportunities less and less. Persons seeking asylum in the West faced severe outcomes, and numerous population tried to breach the divide with lethal results.
Life in East Berlin
Being an inhabitant of East Berlin means having almost no rights and access to most commonly needed goods. The local authority regulated each segment of the population’s existence, and people lived in confusion and fear of repression. People were deprived of their rights, freedom of movement, limited freedom of speech and were forced to obey socialist norms and values.
Life in West Berlin
On the other hand West Berlin prosper as an enclave of freedom and market economy in the middle of East Germany. The freedoms that the West Berliners enjoyed with the help from the US and its Allies guaranteed that its inhabitants were offered all the American comforts, jobs, and lively cultural scene.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
Thus the creation of the barrier in Berlin grew to be a strong signal of suppression and an emblem of the split era. When the Cold War began to ease and revolutions started happening in Europe, people started forcing changes on the East German government as well. On the 9th of November 1989, due to publicly organized demonstrations, and pressure from world leaders, the government declared that the separated Wall between the East and West Berlin will be demolished. Residents of both communities surrounded the wall and actively started bringing it down during the considerable symbolism of this event.
The Reunification of Germany
The demolition of the Berlin Wall compelled the German nation to reunify, and the cold war ended soon afterwards too. The Cold War fought companions after unification of two German states – East or West Germany; Both German states come together and became a single democracy country.
Conclusion
The Berlin Wall was not just bricks and mortar; it was an embodiment of the divide and the pinnacle of tension in the cold war period. Its creation and demise were transformative for the individuals who lived within historical constructions of the site. Kennis van deze kapter van die geskiedenis maak vir ons die konsep van vrede, sameswering en die waarde van vryheid in ons era dalk meer begrypend.