The Berlin Wall was an intense far known Cold War symbol dividing East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. Built by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany, GDR) the wall was a physical barrier that separated families, friends and a people for 28 years. On the other hand, we will discuss in this article why the Berlin Wall was important in the context of the Cold War.

The Beginning of the Cold War

After World War II, the Cold War was a time of political tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. Though not a real military conflict in Syria it was an ideological and competition for global influence. This broader conflict was symbolized with the division of Berlin.

The Berlin Wall’s Purpose

The aim of the Berlin Wall was chiefly to stop the mass flight of East Germans to West Germany. Under Soviet influence, East Germany had economic and political problems, and had to offer much better prospects in the West for many of its people. The East German government built the wall to stop this population drain.

Physical Structure of the Wall

Concrete, about 12 feet high, made up the Berlin Wall. It was a 96 mile run starting in the middle of Berlin. A structure that included multiple layers, with an outer wall, a “death strip” with barriers, barbed wire, an anti-vehicle trench and an inner wall with guard towers and patrolled by border guards.

Germany Responsibility 1945 – 1949

The Berlin wall hit hard even physically, as well as emotionally into the people of Berlin.

Families Divided

Families were separated by one of the Berlin Wall’s most tragic consequences. East Germans were close to relatives in West Germany and overnight they were cut off from them. It made communication and visits impossible and brought about vast human suffering and emotional stress.

Escape Attempts

The heavily fortified structure had countless people trying to get to West to East Berlin, risking their lives to do so. Not everyone tried to scale the wall, dig the tunnels, or step to the next level with hot air balloons and home made aircraft. And many who escape from these tried to escape again and, tragically, many die in the process.

The Symbolic Divide

Berlin Wall became a rallying point of the division between communism and capitalism. It symbolized the physical divorce of democratic and communist ideas as well as constraints on traffic. The global conflict had been a constant reminder of the wall.

Political Significance

Politically, both the Soviet Union and the United States found a great many implications in the facade of the Berlin Wall.

Cold War Propaganda

Cold War propaganda fed by the Berlin Wall saw each side accusing the other of division. For the United States, wall symbolized communist oppression, for the Soviet Union it was needed to protect East Germany from Western influence.

Tensions and Negotiations

The building of the Berlin Wall made the state relations between US and Soviet Union sharper. Checkpoint Charlie provided a useful illustration of the strained relationship in 1961 when a standoff occurred there when crossing point between East and West Berlin. But negotiations and discussions about the wall also went into the collapse of Cold War tensions.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9th, 1989 meant reunification and signaled the end of the Cold War. It was a chain of happenings – from political reform in East Germany, and more demands for freedom and better living conditions from citizens.

Legacy and Lessons Learned

The history turning point was the fall of Berlin Wall. It showed us how the power of united people for change can completely break down oppressive regimes. It reminded that freedom, human rights, and division serve as a bad thing.

Finally, the Berlin Wall was alright because it stood for the gulf between East and West during the Cold War. And it had lots of consequences for Berlin, its effect was political, it contributed to the break down of the wall and ultimate fall of the Cold War. To understand its significance brings the importance of freedom, unity and getting a better world to light.