Introduction

Sitting wall dividing Berlin as constructed by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) in 1961 symbolized the cold war more than anything architectural. It further split the city of Berlin into two by placing East Berlin under Soviet rule while placing West Berlin under the rule of the Allied forces. The wall raised serious implications for the history of not only Berlin residents but also the framework of global politics and history in general. In this article each of the four major concepts in the rubric will be examined in light of the period after the construction of the Berlin Wall.

The Division of Berlin

At the close of the Second World War, Berlin the erstwhile capital of the vanquished was split among four powers: the US, Britain, France, and the USSR. Hostility emerged between the Soviet Union and the other three powers thus resulting into division of Berlin into east and west in 1949 . The ultimate expression of this division was the physical called the Berlin Wall.

1. Isolation of East Berlin

After the construction of the Berlin Wall, the East Germany government tried to prevent people to come to West Germany where life was relatively better. They carefully policed the borders so that, for all intents and purposes, east Berlin was cut off from the rest of the world. A has been seen, families and friends were separated, putting so much pressure on those living in East Berlin as compensation to bear with the pain of being separated.

2. increase tensions of Cold War possibile

The construction of the Berlin Wall increased existing enmity between the East and the West spear headed by the Soviet Union and the United States respectively. It then transformed to become a central icon of the split between communism and capitalism. It was the first of the confrontational events between the two giants, which dominated the entire Cold War period.

Attempts to Cross the Wall

However, people tried to learn the ways how to avoid border control and cross the Berlin Wall in order to get free. These escape attempts were rather high-stake and included very inventive staking out strategies. Some examples include:

Tunnel Excavations: Numerous persons constructed gaps beneath the wall to make sneaky movements to the other side.

Balloon Flights: Creative people found out that they could Minaret over the wall using hot air balloons.

Impersonations: Many citizens tried to move around disguised as soldiers or diplomats, and could get through checkpoints.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

For 28 years the wall enclosed the eastern part of Berlin and in fact was a symbol of oppression and a divided Europe. However, in November 1989, a series of events led to its unexpected fall:

Mass Protests: East Berlin was beaming with thousands of people protesting for their freedom, and against the ruling of the government.

Political Reforms: Unbearable pressure from within and outside the country forced the East German government to undertake political liberalization and easing of border control.

Historic Speech: It is into this historical context in this statement by the eastern bloc leader Erich Honecker that he informed the east Germans that they could freely attend west Germany.

Crowd at the Wall: From the increased pressure of earlier crowds that accumbent and surrounded the Berlin Wall, the border guards had to open the checkpoints.

Aftermath and Reunification

The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a turning point in history, leading to the reunification of Germany and significant geopolitical changes:

1. Reunification of Germany

After the collapse of the Berlin Wall, both East and West Germany sat down to sign peace agreement for the union of Germany on October 3, 1990. The two Germanies became one; the Cold War and the Soviet Union came to an end in near future.

2. European Integration

Germany was reunified to be a major actor in the process of European integration which is hurried up at present. It became one of the agents of formation of the European Union and the development of diplomatic cooperation between European states.

3. Symbolism and Memorials

Now, some sections are still existing as a testimony of freedom and basically, the victory of spirit. Some represent the horrors of the Cold War and the necessity to remember its lessons to avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future.

Conclusion

Berlin Wall also created essential impacts on the Germans in Berlin and the global community. It raised the degree of confrontation in cold war, isolated East Berlin, while resulting in many tries to escape. But as soon as the wall has collapsed, it became a symbol of people’s unity and freedom with the history behind it. The Berlin wall is also a testimony of our kind when divided and at the same time a testimony of strength when united.