The post World War II period also known as the Cold War started in 1947 and ended in 1991, affected many parts. Among the cities that feel the influence of this period clearly, Berlin may be named. Before the reunification, Berlin was divided into East Berlin and West Berlin because Germany was divided into two politically different regions. In this article, I am going to uncover influences of the Cold War, and how it had affected the city of Berlin, and its people.

The Division of Berlin

Germany became split into four occupation zones; two being controlled by the United States and the Soviets on the east side and the United Kingdom and France controlling the west side. Also divided into four sectors occupied by the British, French and American forces, Berlin was located deep within the territorial control of the Soviet Union. However, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Allied powers quickly escalated, leading to the formation of two separate countries: notably the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the socialist German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

The Berlin Wall

In 1961 the German Democratic Republic regime built the Berlin Wall accompanying the physical division of the city into East and West. The wall was to stop East Germans from escaping to the free West thus putting families and friends apart and denying many Berliners their freedom. The Berlin wall is considered as embodiment of the Cold War as it separated Eastern Bloc countries from the Western, Global powers.

The Cold War Spy Capital

Further, during the Cold War, Berlin also turned into the hot-bed of spy activities. Each of the two world powers, the Soviet Union and the United States, had spy agencies operating in the city. Different intelligence security services incorporated Germany as an area to fight for intelligence information and power against their opponents. The famous cross point of Berlin Wall-Checkpoint Charlie-also became the stage of this spy game.

Life in West Berlin

As a component of West Germany, West Berlin had certain prerogatives it never had during the existence of its Eastern twin. Warsaw also stands in front of the Eastern Bloc as an example of the success of Western democracy and the model of capitalist development. That is, the United States gave West Berlin economic aid by supplying the necessities during the Soviet blockade 1948-1949 known as the Berlin Airlift. Finally, West Berlin enjoyed more freedom in obtaining the consumer goods, excellent cultural trappings and better living standards as compared to East Berlin. It became the embodiment of fighting against communism fully.

Life in East Berlin

Life within the zone is well depicted in the movie because living under Soviet rule was a different story altogether. The government intruded into everyday’s existence, and freedom of a person was highly limited. Socialist regimes tended to have a definite policy on conformity and devotion to the social causes of the state. But the government also ensured the health care facility, education and employment to their citizens as well. A big number of citizens from Eastern Bloc countries considered East Berlin to be a model of successful socialist construction.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The people of Eastern Europe were unhappy with the Soviet influence and so when the Soviet influence reduced, in November 1989, the Berlin Wall came down. The coming down of the Wall was the sign of the end of the Cold War and the reunification of Germany. The East and the West of Berlin were reunified and Germany became the unified nation of Germany in the seventh decade of the present century. The liberal world order emerged and triumphed over the oppressed and anti-democratic fascist and communist regimes epitomized by the fall of the Berlin wall.

The Legacy

The effects of the cold war are still apparent till date with special reference to Berlin. Even though the Wall is no longer present in Berlin there are numerous places in this city where visitors can spot pieces of it and thus pay tribute to the people’s fight. Berlin has become one of the most popular and cosmopolitan cities that open for people from all around the world.

All in all, the consequences of the Cold War became plainly perceptible in the stretch of the city of Berlin. The division of the city, the construction of its own wall and consequently the fall of this wall influenced the life of Berliners on both sides. Now Berlin is one of the symbols of freedom and the strength of the people of this country.