Germany’s capital city Berlin led an important part in Cold War events. After World War II, the victorious Allied Powers divided Berlin into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the major Allied countries: Four superpowers ruled Berlin after World War II – the United States the United Kingdom France and the Soviet Union.
The Division of Berlin
The Allies created a Berlin split because they disagreed about government types. The United States led a democratic capitalist alliance that opposed the communist Soviet state. The differences between Western and Soviet ideology produced separate East and West parts of Berlin.
West Berlin
After World War II the US and their allies led West Berlin rebuffed Soviet communism from controlling their region. The Western nations backed and funded this capitalist zone while East Germany surrounded it. The regular democratic system and capitalist framework brought West Berlin wealth and democratic rights.
East Berlin
Communist authorities turned East Berlin into the main city for their regime to govern East Germany. Through socialist dictates the Soviet Union placed total industry and farm control under state authority while restricting people’s political rights. East German authorities governed every part of people’s lives by punishing those who disagreed.
The Berlin Wall
When East and West tensions rose East Germany made a physical border to stop its citizens from leaving for Western freedom and prosperity. The Berlin Wall became visible proof of how capitalism and communism remained separate worldwide.
In 1961 the Germans built the Berlin Wall through concrete sections fortified with watchtowers and defensive barriers. The wall functioned to keep families and friends apart and barred East Germans from trying to improve their lives in the Western part.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
A massive political shift happened across the nation in 1989. Under Mikhail Gorbachev the Soviet Union embraced major transformation. As the USSR eased restrictions under perestroika and glasnost policies many people across Eastern Europe started fighting for democracy.
On November 9, 1989 history changed with the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Masses of East Berliners arrived at the border crossings seeking unrestricted travel rights. The border guards gave in because they could not handle the massive crowds standing before them.
Conclusion
So, to answer the question: East Berlin was communist. The city served as both East Germany’s administrative center and followed Soviet-imposed socialist principles. West Berlin maintained capitalist principles because the Western powers defended its economic system. During the Cold War East and West confronted each other physically and ideologically through building and demolishing Berlin’s Wall.
Visitors gain new respect for society members when they study the Berlin split’s past events. After the Berlin Wall fell everyone saw that people everywhere want freedom and can bring about change despite great challenges.