The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier which was built in 1961 to 1989 for splitting Berlin city, or East Germany (German Democratic Republic) and West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany. It was constructed by the German Democratic Republic to avoid cases of immigration and escape top the Western side among East Germans. Watchtowers and heavily guarded zones were not uninterrupted by concrete walls, but many barriers made up the wall complex. Now let’s look at the length and architecture of the Berlin Wall.
The Length of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was built for over 96 miles or 155 kilometers in total length. It surrounded West Berlin, ran through its middle, and provided a wall that was guarded by armed soldiers – both East German border guards and young men from the Soviet Union. It was not circular, in fact it intersected complicated route around the west Berlin and at the same time unequivocally divided it from the rest of the eastern German region.Length of the Wall in the District: BerlinFriedrichshain-Kreuzberg 13,5 kmbarrier that divided the city of Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating East Germany (German Democratic Republic) from West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany). It was erected by the German Democratic Republic to prevent the emigration and escape of East Germans to the West. The wall was not a single continuous structure but consisted of various barriers, including concrete walls, watchtowers, and heavily guarded zones. Let’s delve deeper into the extent and construction of the Berlin Wall.
The Length of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall stretched approximately 155 kilometers (96 miles) in total length. It encircled West Berlin, cutting through the heart of the city, and created a physical barrier that was heavily patrolled by armed guards. The wall was not a perfect circle but rather took a complex path, following the borders of West Berlin while also separating it from the surrounding East German territory.
To visualize its extent, below is a table showcasing the length of the Berlin Wall in various districts of the city:
District Length of Berlin Wall
Mitte 18.2 km
Pankow 42.4 km
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg 13.5 km
Neukölln 11.9 km
Tempelhof-Schöneberg 6.7 km
Steglitz-Zehlendorf 7.2 km
Reinickendorf 15.8 km
The total extent of the wall was not consistent because the changes in geography also increased and decreased over time because of changes made by the East German authorities.
The construction of the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall consisted of several components designed to deter and impede potential escape attempts:
Concrete Walls: The most famous part of the division of Berlin by the barriers was the Concrete Wall. These walls were made of reinforced concrete, more than three meters high that could hardly be demolished.
Death Strip: The Death Strip was a wide passage made between the inner and outer walls which constituted the Berlin Wall. This part of the site was also full of such obstacles as wire barriers, ditches and anti car devices.
Guard Towers: In all the longitudinal span of Berlin Wall structures, lookout towers were placed to monitor the neighbors and thwart attempts at escape. These towers had soldiers armed to the teeth with strict instructions to open fire any person who attempted to breach the wall.
Signal Fence: Outside the inner wall there was a signal fence reinforced with Automated Alarm Systems altogether. This fence would alert security if it would sense that someone has tampered with it or if someone attempts to cross it.
Anti-Vehicle Ditch: For the part that the planners intended to make very difficult for vehicles to cross from east to west, an anti-vehicle ditch was created along some parts of the wall. The ditch was some meters wide and illy travelling on it.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was one of the most well known and most utilized symbol of the Cold War and division of Germany but its construction led to major civil uprising and calls for the reunification of Germany. On the 9th of November, 1989 the government of East Germany after weeks of increased pressure from the citizens of the country said that the prohibition on movement was no more in effect.
This historic announcement led to crowds converging at the checkpoints and actually celebrating and pulling down parts of the structure at the wall. It wasn’t long before the Berlin Wall was dismantled from within by the very people living in the two cities and East and West Germany became one again.
In Conclusion
The Berlin Wall stood at about 155 km long, going round West Berlin and effectively, dividing the city from East Germany. Elements of its construction were reinforced concrete walls, watchtowers, the Death Strip, and other such barriers. The fact of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November, 1989 pointed to some other historic break through, which was primarily associated with the end of the Cold War and the future Union of Germany.
In this case BERLIN WALL may not be present as a barrier, but the effects of its construction did change the history of Germany and it will always remain as part of the history since it was demolished too.