The cold war was a state of political and military rivalry between the US and USSR between the end of the Second World War in 1945 and early 1990s. Berlin was one of the chief theaters of some of the most intense fighting that occurred during that year. Geographically cut into the West and East the city was associated with the confrontation of the two superpowers. In this blog post we shall focus on events in this city during the cold war period as much as possible.

The Division of Berlin

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones administered by the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain and France. Like Moscow, the capital of Germany, Berlin was also divided into four sections. The eastern part of the city was occupied by the Soviet Union party, while the other three sectors were occupied by the Western Allies.

The western powers assembled the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) in 1949, the Soviet Union in response formed the German Democratic Republic (East Germany). This division of Germany reached the capital city, Berlin; West Berlin was in West Germany, while East Berlin was in East Germany.

The Berlin Wall

Conflict tensions between East and West Germany came to a head in 1961. Since the number of its citizens crossing over to the West was on the rise, the East German authorities built a wall –later called the Berlin Wall. East and West Berlin and indeed it acted as a barrier separating the two cities.

Thus the wall was mined and was surrounded with watch towers, dogs were set to bark any time, check points manned with armed guards all along the face of the wall. It represented the coldness of the cold war and separated as well as contained people; it was ideological.

Life in East and West Berlin

As will be recalled, politics and economy of eastern and western Berlin were different and hence it was nearly impossible to compare life between the two even if they were in the same city.

On the eastern side of the divided city peoples were able to exercise their freedoms, choose their own government and economy and had access to the western world. It made East Berliners look towards the city as their source of hope in the event they wanted to be productive members of society.

On the other hand, life in East Berlin was characterized by bureaucratic regulation, fewer liberties and regulated economy. The regime did everything to ensure that dissidents were brought to order and the citizens watched closely.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

East Germany was another Soviet satellite state and the specific event of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall in the year 1989 was perhaps a key breaking point of the Soviet outcome in eastern Europe. A series of public rallies in East Berlin along with some transformations happening in the other parts of Eastern Bloc opened the border.

It was on 9th November 1989 when the East German government said that people could easily cross the border. Masses of people rushed at the wall, demolishing it with crowbars, picks and their own hands. This event meant the breaking of the Cold War division and was the reunification of Germany.

The Reunification of Germany

After the breakdown of the Berlin Wall, official talks started to merge East and West Germany back together. Namely the unification of the two Germanies occurred on October 3 rd, 1990, which led to dissolution of East Germany, and integration of the eastern region to the federal republic of Germany.

A symbol changed Berlin into the capital of reunited Germany: representing at the same time the victory over division and a hope.

Conclusion

The history of the Cold War Berlin was the major determining factor in the power struggle in the twentieth century. Berlin is divided, East and West are extended and built and then torn down; Germany is reunited—each of these embodies the tension and achievement of the period. With the help of history, Berlin has become a symbol of unity, the strength of spirit and the main idea of the city.