The last is associated with the Cold War, when the Berlin Wall has become a powerful sweet of division and confrontation. Constructed in 1961, it divided East and West Berlin in terms of people and their premises, their beliefs and political system of the Soviet Union and western Allies.

1. Historical Background:

The post Second World War Redcliffe Map of Germany marked the beginning of construction of the Berlin wall. After the war, the economy of Germany was split into four occupations zones each run by the United States of America, Union of Soviet Socialistic Republics, United Kingdom and France. In the same way the four powers divided Berlin, deep in the Soviet zone.

2. Ideological Differences:

The Berlin Wall represented the clash between two opposing ideologies: communism and capitalism. The Soviet Union defended communism, state sovereignty or state control, and planned economies, whereas the Western Allies supported systems of democracy, democratic freedom as well as free market systems.

2.1 East Berlin – Soviet Influence:

While East Berlin which fell under the sovereignty of the Soviet was conforming to communism they ran a planned economy. The government curtailed personal liberties and enacted state restrictions on press, schools, and businesses.

2.2 West Berlin – Capitalist Haven:

On the other hand, the West Berlin BOUGHT itself and developed into a capitalist city. It had economic prosperity economic support from the western Allies, personal freedoms and democratic institutions. East Berlin citizens usually migrated and looked for jobs and a better life in the side of West Berlin.

3. Physical and Symbolic Barrier:

Constructed after the German Democratic Republic, the Berlin Wall comprised a concrete wall, watchtowers, and barbed-wire check-points. This Wall was constructed to separate East Berlin citizens from the West in order to stop people from crossing over.

3.1 Division of Families and Friends:

The actual effects of the construction of the Berlin Wall included agony that accompanied the physical separation of family members, friends, and lovers. It was impossible to travel, to talk, and to be simultaneously updated on each other’s existence.

3.2 Symbol of the Iron Curtain:

This was evident through the Berlin Wall, which worked as a barometer of the Iron Curtain which was the artificial barrier that delineated Europe’s eastern part from the rest of the region. It was most representative of the Cold War period and came to stand for the struggle between East and West.

4. Escalation of Tensions:

After the construction of the Berlin Wall relations between the East and the West became strained. Many major Cold War events happened around the wall such as the ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ stand off and the Berlin Crisis 1961.

4.1 Checkpoint Charlie:

Soviet and American tanks faced each other at Checkpoint Charlie in the divided city of Berlin in 1961. This made it clear that the two sides might be pulled into an armed confrontation.

4.2 Berlin Crisis:

The construction of the wall led to the Berlin Crisis during which the US and USSR adopted rather tense politics of diplomacy. The crisis play out Cold War enmity to a higher degree and almost sparked an armed conflict.

5. Fall of the Berlin Wall:

After twenty-eight years the infamous Berlin Wall came down; in 1989 protesters, internal pressures within East Germany, and the shifting world politics brought down the Wall.

5.1 Peaceful Protests:

The people of East Germany fueled by the spirit of change want political freedom and continued demonstration of unity to become one with the west.

5.2 Political Changes:

Mikhail Gorbachev kick started reforms in the Soviet Union by trying to have reformation policies like glasnost (freedom of speech) and perestroika (reform). These changes helped much in the lessening of the so called iron curtain on eastern European states.

5.3 Opening of the Wall:

In November 1989, East German authorities took a world by surprise and put forward new rules on travel. Hundreds of East Berliners came to the border crossings, and the frontier was opened, and people walked across from East to West Berlin.

6. A Symbol of Reconciliation:

The fall of the Berlin Wall / Ending of Cold War / Germany’s reunification This emphasized hope and reconciliation of different nations and in an inspiration of friendly.

Thus, the dividing structure that was proved to be the Berlin Wall reflected much more than a visible partition. It represented the Communism/ Capitalism divide, separated families, aggravate tensions and became a representative symbol of the Cold War. Finally, its decline signified period closure and initiated search for non-violent resolution.