Select Page

Why was the Berlin Wall Symbolism During the Cold War?

by | Mar 7, 2024 | World War Tour Berlin

The Cold War was the period of political tension and armed competition between the United States and the Soviet Union from 1947 until 1991. The Berlin Wall divided the city of Berlin into two parts: East and West, one of the most iconic symbols of this conflict. And in this blog post, we look at why the Berlin Wall became such a potent symbol of the Cold War.

Berlins Wall, Die.

After World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the Allied powers: the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain and France. Although Berlin is located in Soviet controlled East Germany, the city was itself split into four sectors. But there was tension because ideological differences between the two superpowers were growing.

In 1949, the Western Allies hosted the establishment of the separate state, the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). Soviet reaction to this was to create, in its zone of occupation, the socialist German Democratic Republic (East Germany). Now there was a clear divide between East and West.

Escaping to the West

Many people had hard lives in East Germany. It was a rough economy and political repression was widespread. In consequence, there was a mass exodus of East Germans to the West, where they thought they stood a better chance and would have more opportunity, and more freedom.

The East German government tried to stop this mass exodus by building a physical barrier. On August 12th, 1961, barbed wire fences went up between East and West Berlin. Inevitably this makeshift barrier was replaced with a more substantial and permanent structure: the Berlin wall.

The Berlin Wall Symbolism

It didn’t take long for the Berlin Wall to become a powerful example of East- versus West, and political versus economic systems. Here are some of the reasons why it became such a potent symbol during the Cold War:

1. Ideological Conflict

The Cold War was mostly between capitalism and communism. That ideological divide was the physical shape of the Berlin Wall. The capitalist West, with its democratic and market economy, and the communist East, with its centralized planning and restricted political system, were on one side, and on the other side, you had the West.

2. Loss of Freedom

The Berlin Wall was a result of a loss of freedom to East Germans. It meant families were separated, people on the eastern side of the country were not allowed to travel or communicate. It was a reminder, a stark reminder, of the differences between the two systems.

3. Cold War Tensions

This helped to increase East and West tensions to a point of escalation. It symbolised the growing gap between the two superpowers and their cross ideological stand points. A constant reminder for nuclear war and the threat of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, the wall became.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall had taken on a brand new symbolism as thousands of East Germans hit the streets demanding political reform and freedom of movement. An unexpected development, citizens began being allowed to travel to the West immediately. Folks from both sides began flooding the wall, celebrating and taking it down.

Indeed, the famous fall of the Berlin Wall made history. It was a sign that the Cold War was over and Germany was reunited. Present day fragments of this wall are exhibited in a number of museums and memorials throughout the world, a testament to the strength of the human spirit and of the need for freedom.

Conclusion

Built as a barrier between East and West, the Berlin Wall came to symbolise what divided the two sides — deep ideological differences between capitalism and communism — and what united them — the cold war itself. It also stood for the loss of freedom suffered by people in East Germany. But the last one proved that the human spirit is resilient and the desire for freedom and unity.

Why was the Berlin Wall Symbolism During the Cold War?