The Berlin Wall is an important event of history where a great deal happened to Germany and the world. Known as this barrier, which lasted for almost 30 years, physically and ideologically marked Berlin as well as the Cold War division between East and West. If you want to understand why Germany built the Berlin Wall, we have to go back and understand why it was built, political, social, and economic.

1. Historical Context

We begin with the tensions between Western Allies and the Soviet Union after World War II that saw the construction of the Berlin Wall. Germany was divided into four occupied zones, each administered by one of the four major powers: The US, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. In addition to Berlin being deep in Soviet controlled territory, Berlin was also divided into four sectors.

1.1 The Division of Berlin

The relationship deteriorated as ideological differences between the Western powers and Soviet Union grew. In 1948, the Soviets put a blockade on West Berlin, keeping it landlocked and trying to force the Western allies out of the city. In 1949 the Allies ended the blockade by Berlin Airlift, delivering food and supplies through the air to West Berlin until the blockade was lifted.

1.2 Escalating Tensions

The Cold War got more bitter, and East Germany, under Soviet influence, was also stood before serious economic problems as most of the people moved from the relatively well-off West Germany. The brain drain that this caused was a massive one, and was economically destabilizing in East Germany, which was painful in the sense of being politically embarrassing for the Soviet Union. The decision to build the Berlin Wall was made to cut down the mass exodus of East Germans to the West.

2. Purpose of the Berlin Wall

The explicit reason the Berlin Wall was built was to stop East Germans from fleeing to the West. The wall served as physical barrier between East and West Berlin, rendering impossible for those south of the wall to crosses over to the wealthier West. Its construction had several motives:

2.1 Political Motives

Berlin Wall was a symbol of socialist ideology and of the USSR’s control over East Germany. As a means of strengthening its authority, the communist regime brought a physical barrier to the city’s boarder to prevent its influence from being spread by western democracy.

2.2 Economic Motives

Brain drain, and loss of labor force to West Germany, made East Germany faced economic problems. The construction of the wall was an attempt to keep workers and professionals ‘home’ in East Germany, to support the depleting economy.

2.3 Social Motives

The Berlin Wall was also built up to quench social unrest and discontent happening in the East Germany. Fearful that the people, caught up in the Western lifestyle and freedoms, would seek political and social reforms that could destroy the existing communist regime, the government thought it was important not to introduce the received ideas too quickly.

3. Impact and Legacy

Until its fall in 1989, the Berlin Wall was a wall of impressive height and heavy fortification. Its construction and existence had profound effects:

3.1 Division of Berlin

Physically, families, friends and communities were split by the wall. It cut off movement, communication and left huge emotional scars. More than anything, its isolation made West Berlin an enclave in east Berlin with unique circumstances.

3.2 Symbol of the Cold War

In addition, the Berlin Wall came to symbolize the more general ideological and political division between the Western bloc (capitalism and democracy) and the Eastern bloc (communism and socialism). During the Cold War it was a clash between two opposing systems.

3.3 Peaceful Revolution and Reunification

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 was history turning point. It was the end of the Cold War and its reunification of East and West Germany in October 1990. The wall was demolished as a moment of joyous celebration, freedom, and unity.

Conclusion

Originally built in response to East Germans trying to escape to the West and to maintain the Soviet Union’s influence in East Berlin, the Berlin Wall served chiefly to stop East Germans trying to make a break for it. The Cold War division between capitalist West and communist East was a physical expression. In the end however, widespread political, social and economic change, the reunification of Germany and the end of the Cold War were brought about by the fall of the wall.