Greetings to our blog post devoted to the topic of the Berlin Wall in the context of the Cold War. In this article you will be able to read a thorough description of the background of the creation of the Berlin Wall as well as its importance. No matter if you have never studied history or if it has just been a while, this post will give you the foundation on which you understand this crucial event.
1. The Cold War: A Brief Overview
The cold war is therefore marked as the post second world war rivalry between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that was from the year 1947 to 1991. These two superpowers were opposite politically, while the United States supported capitalism and democracy, the Soviet Union supported communism.
2. The Division of Germany
After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each administered by one of the four Allied powers: America, Russia, England, and France. Unlike other German cities, Berlin had four sectors although it was in the Soviet occupied zone.
2.1 Tensions Rise
When the superpowers of the two worlds began to develop hostile and antagonistic relations, Germany too was pulled apart by the same. While the Soviet Union stepped up attempts at controlling the east,United States, Britain, and France joined efforts to create a new democratic German nation in the west, West Germany.
2.2 Building the Berlin Wall
In 1961 however something snapped. East Berliners were crossing the border in tens of thousands to become economic and political refugees and seek new opportunities. To avoid this, government of East Germany with the agreement of Soviet Union built a wall that separated east and West Berlin. The division between East and West Berlin was comprised f concrete and barbed wire thus denying any form of passage between the two segments of the same city.
3. Impact on the People
The destruction of the Berlin wall affected the lives of people that lived in the east as well as those that lived in the west greatly. Loved ones were cut off from their kin, and companions from their loved ones. Few East Berliners were able to visit their families living in different part of the Berlin and such attempts were followed by severe punishment such as imprisonment or death.
3.1 East and West Berlin
Living in West Berlin was more liberated, with far better standards of living than East Berlin. This meant that the Western part of the city had a better access to goods and service that the eastern part did not have access to. However, East Berlin people dwelt in the shadow of a repressive government, less civil liberties and fewer economic prospects.
3.2 The Fall of the Wall
Protests and demonstrationIncrease in East Germany as the cold war diminished in late 1980s. Sound bites then to late October indicate that the East German government, after weeks of increasing pressure, permitted citizens to cross the border starting November 9, 1989. This made an historical event known as the fall of the Berlin Wall. Both East and West Germans crossed towards the barrier destroying it, this painted a picture of the Cold War period coming to an end.
4. The Legacy of the Berlin Wall
The decline of the Berlin Wall symbolized the beginning of a reunification of Germany. The two German states were officially reunified on 3 October 1990 and Berlin became the capital of a reunified Germany once again. The construction of the Berlin Wall has become both a symbol of division and struggle for freedom, the implications of ideologies and the fight for human rights.
4.1 The Berlin Wall Memorial
What is more, nowadays, one can visit the part of the recent history, the so called Berlin Wall Memorial which is situated in the central part of the capital. This memorial gives people an indication of how the two regions were split and then commemorates all those who died while trying to cross the divide. For peculiarity and uniqueness you are going to get a chance to look at the parts of the preserved Great Wall, documents as well as people’s testimonies as to what they underwent during this period of history.
4.2 Lessons Learned
The policy of division of the Berlin Wall teaches people the value of freedom, togetherness and tolerance. It then and is now serves as a testimony to human strength and spirit by revealing possible outcome of ideological war. Being aware of this history is important to try to create a society with no wall and allow people work for the dream they want.
Conclusion
It developed into an embodiment of the two ideological systems till the start of the cold war. They both affected the lives of people in East and West Berlin during its construction as well as after it collapsed. Today the Wall in Berlin symbolizes unity and freedom that requires no explanation. It can be said that studying its history will help to draw useful conclusions and contribute to making the world better – more united and humane or compassionate one.