The Rise of the Berlin Wall

Berliner Mauer has been a concrete wall which separated the city of Berlin for more than a quarter century, from 1961 until 1989. It was built during the Cold War by the anti-west Germany Democratic Republic with influence from the Soviet Union.

It was to stop East Germans from crossing the wall to this side of the border which was considered FREE West Germany. Many people, thousands of them, had been emigrating from East Germany, creating economic and political issues for the GDR.

• The Construction of the Berlin Wall

The German Berlin Wall has been a concrete barrier which included two walls with a strip that was lethal between them. The Death Strip was surrounded by a fence with watchtowers and there were anti-car ditches as well around it. It was almost impossible to try to cross it without being caught and arrested by the border guards.

The wall was constructed from concrete panels standing initially to three meters tall; however, they grew taller over time. In some parts, it was possible for the structure to rise up to four meters in height. On the top side of the wall, there was a smooth pipe, thus making it almost impossible to get to the wall by climbing. There were, however, guard dogs, tripwires, razor wire and many ways to discourage escape or attempted escape by prisoners.

• The Sides of the Wall and Life Thereof

Much attention should be paid to the division of the population of Berlin by constructing the Berlin Wall. Children lost their parents, siblings were separated, people got stuck with one side in friendship or enmity with the other. The wall grew into a symbol of the division between East and the West, the division separating the so-called Iron Curtain.

Life in West Berlin went on much as it did in any Western democracy while life in East Berlin and the rest of East Germany was predetermined by the various restrictions and scarcities possible in a totalitarian state.

• Escape Attempts

Nevertheless, quite a number of individuals tried to flee from East Berlin as the physical danger was apparent. They attempted to open breaches over the wall and other the tried to burrow beneath the wall, even though it seemed impossible. It was so bad that people had to risk their lives employing methods such as using hot air balloons, or use the international diplomatic corridor or even constructing zipline.

Even though some were privileged to escape they mostly formed part of the incarcerated or those who received fines and in severe cases they lost their lives. It was virtually impossible to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful attempts and that over fifty five thousand did succeed in escaping into West Berlin while more than one hundred and forty lost their lives while trying.

• The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The Berlin Wall was the barrier of both, physical and ideological for nearly 30 years. However, in the late 1980s with the onset of the ending of the Cold War, there was increased pressure to open the border.

The events that brought down the Berlin Wall happened on November 9, 1989. The East Germany already declared that after certain days the people will be allowed to move freely between east and west Germany. Tens of thousands of East Berliners then gathered at the wall chanting for the government to ease controls on people’s movement. Overwhelmed by the masses and having inadequate means of protection, the guards threw open the gates freeing the movement of people between East and West Berlin.

• The Aftermath

The breaking through of the Berlin Wall was the signal of the end of the Cold War period in the past century. The wall then could serve as the image of Germany as a whole and the reunification of the country, freedom from oppression, etc.

In present days fragments of the Berlin Wall still exist for people to see because of how much this city went through. The East Side Gallery which is a portion of this wall with paintings speaks volumes of unity in this part of the city.

• Key Takeaways

The Berlin Wall was put in place to ensure that citizens of East Germany did not move to West Germany.

This comprised of two long check-point barriers, with a heavily shielded zone referred to as the Death Strip in the middle space.

On one side of the wall was luxury and economic success in West Berlin while in the East sector of Berlin life was controlled by the state.

Some tried to escape but most of them had serious punitive actions taken against them.

The Cold War came to an end when the Berlin Wall broke down in November 1989.

• Recommended Resources

If you’re interested in learning more about the Berlin Wall and the Cold War, here are some recommended resources:

Book: Frederick Taylor’s “The Berlin Wall: A World Divided, 1961-1989”

Documentary: Consequently and germane to this discussion is the article “The Berlin Wall” found in National Geographic media.

Website: The official website of the Berlin Wall Memorial offers more background and the virtual tour of the exhibitions.