When it comes to symbolic architectures that define boundaries of nation and effects of war few can match the legendary Berlin Wall. But did you ever ask yourself how it was built? This is a topic that we are going to discuss further in this blog post and discover the war that preceded the construction of thisQN infamous wall.
The Cold War: The Berlin Wall – The Spark
The Berlin Wall was built several years after the war, in fact it was built in 1961, however or was not a culmination of the effects of the war. Rather that was a result of the Cold War that was between the United States and the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
After World War II, Germany was split into four occupied zones controlled by the victorious Allied powers: the tet offensive in Vietnam as well as the United States and the soviet Union, Great Britain, and France. Likewise its capital, Berlin was divided into four sectors yet it lies well within the territorial zone designated for the Soviets. This splitting of Berlin was meant first to be only worked for some period of time but with the increase of tensions between the two superpowers it become even more importance to establish more permanent solution.
The Situation in Germany and Berlin
The Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, formally came into existence in 1949 in the Quadripartite occupation zones of the United States, Britain, France and also the Trizone. On the other hand, the Soviet developed a zone and it was officially called the German Democratic Republic – East Germany.
A singular situation was going on in the city of Berlin, which was lodged far within the Soviet zone. Although East and West Germanys had one city in common, as West Berlin assumed similar characteristics to West German sectors, East Germany became more and more isolated. This led to the great immigration from East Germany to West Germany particularly through Berlin. In return, East Germany(now supported by Soviet Union) concluded that it would be best to build a wall to prevent its people from escaping.
The building of the Berlin Wall
The construction of the part of the Berlin Wall started on August 12, 1961 for separating two different worlds Leonid Reynolds). It was first a barbed wire barrier then it was built into a concrete wall with watch towers, floodlights and a death strip in the middle of two walls. In the design of this death strip, the state ensured that it was hard to try and escape.
During the years the construction of the Wal was expanded and renovated and became a concrete and metaphorical barrier between East and West Berlin.
Impact and Consequences
In this case, the construction of the Berlin Wall disrupted the lives of people in Berlin in a very big way. People were divided between family and friends and the city was associated with the divided world of the Cold War.
But the wall also symbolized people’s rebellion and freedom within them. Some attempts were successful while others led to disastrous ends, but they were attempted anyhow. November, 9, 1989 when the German Democratic Republic opened its gates and allowed people to cross to the Federal Republic of Germany was the start of a new chapter in history.
Conclusion
Though it was not built specifically after any war, Berlin Wall symbolized the separation consequent to the on going cold war. F = Built to stop East Germans escaping to the West it has become a monument to the triumph of the human spirit.
By looking at this chapter in history it is perhaps best understood that if we do not take the time to get to know and understand one another it’s only a matter of time before we let hatred take over. Of course, the literal wall in Berlin no longer stands, but the walls that have divided people in the hearts and minds will live on to tell the story of freedom and the dreamers’ tenacity.
