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Which Side of the Berlin Wall was Communist?

by | Mar 7, 2024 | World War Tour Berlin

The Berlin Wall, constructed in 1961, was a physical barrier that divided the city of Berlin into two parts: After the Cold War West Berlin operated under German-West democracy while East Berlin operated as part of communist East Germany during Soviet control. When discussing which side of the Berlin Wall was communist, the answer is simple: the East side.

Understanding the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall represented both Cold War divisions between West and communist nations. The main goal in building the construction was to block East Berlin residents from escaping into the West where people lived with greater political rights and better financial prospects.

In East Berlin a communist government controlled people’s lives.

Under communist rule East Berlin formed part of the Eastern German landscape. East Germany’s Socialist Unity Party directed its nation by socialist and Leninist-Soviet doctrine. There was only one leader who controlled everything for the nation’s government as General Secretary.

Everyday life was much harder in East Berlin when compared to life in the West. State officials managed almost everything including the production and distribution of resources. The authorities monitored the private lives of citizens and stopped individuals from expressing their political views and maintaining their personal freedoms.

In the Western Nicewhere Germans Live Free

West Berlin functioned as a democratic city empty from the communist order around East Germany. The city served as a sign the Western allies supported both freedom and democratic values. A mayor and elected officials together created the city’s democratic system along with its local rules.

West Berlin established a capitalist system while staying financially supported by the US and its Western partners. The public experienced decent living conditions and maintained basic human rights like talking and worshipping what they believed.

The Impact of the Berlin Wall

Berlin Wall affected people severely in East Berlin and West Berlin. The wall forced families to separate while many individuals tried to cross the border through legal and illegal methods putting themselves in danger.

For West Berliners the wall served as regular evidence showing how they remained separated from their values. It kept western residents from entering their relatives’ homes located in the eastern part of the city.

Under a restrictive government East Berlin residents faced this wall as the true sign of their controlled lifestyle. Those who tried to leave the region ended up in prison or lost their lives. During the Cold War period the wall increased political separation between communist and western Berlin residents and made conflicts more serious.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

East German citizens resisted their oppression so strongly that in 1989 they brought down the Berlin Wall on November 9. As the first step towards communist collapse across Eastern Europe the Berlin Wall’s demise led Germany to unite again.

People on both sides of history celebrate the day when the Berlin Wall fell because it meant freedom won over totalitarian control while bringing the Cold War to its end. As one nation Germany exists today with no political divisions or physical barriers blocking its citizens.

Conclusion

The Berlin Wall created a clear border between communist-controlled Eastern countries and free markets in the West. The East Berlin government stayed repressive following Soviet Union control while West Berlin lived under Western alliance freedom and success.

The end of the Cold War and the rise of freedom from the Berlin Wall made a historic change to global political systems. To grasp the challenges faced by Berlin Wall victims you need to study how this barrier shaped their lives.

Which Side of the Berlin Wall was Communist?