The Cold War was a period of intense political tension between the Soviet Union and the United States. It lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 until the early 1990s. One of the central battlegrounds of this ideological conflict was Berlin, the capital of Germany. In this blog post, we will explore the key events that unfolded in Berlin during the Cold War.
1. Division of Berlin
After World War II, Berlin was divided into four sectors controlled by the Allied powers: the major developed powers which included the United States, the Soviet Union, United Kingdom and France. The city itself was situated well within the sphere of influence of the Soviet controlled East Germany. These divisions ignited the course of Berlin in the following periods of the cold war.
- Berlin Airlift
After the second world war, in 1948 the Soviet Union surrounded the west sectors of Berlin to gain full control over the city. As a result, the Allies began what came to be known as the Berlin Airlift, in which food, fuel and other necessities were flown to the cut-off western sector of the city. Airfreight operated day and night for nearly a year; tanks were supplied to Berlin as the Western powers were determined to hold Berlin.
- Building the Berlin Wall
Soviet and Allied threats to defensive and menacing postures intensified; East Germany constructed the Berlin Wall in 1961. This setup served to physically divide East and West Berlin to the extent that people could not travel between the two. The wall in Berlin became emblematic of the curtain of iron that separated Europe of the East from that of the West during the cold war.
3.1 The life in East and West Berlin
Indeed the construction of the Wall had drastic impacts on the lives of Berliners in the eastern and western sides of the city. While West Berlin was free and democratized citizens had access to better economic opportunities and acquaintance with the West. On the other hand, East Berliners’ individual freedoms, economic statuses and freedom were tied, curbed and observed all the time.
3.2 Attempts to Cross the Wall
However, East Berliners tried every method possible to cross over to the west even if the place had been well fortified. Locals attempted to scale over the outer wall while others sought to burrow under it. These were rather crude attempts at escaping bondage, usually fraught with high fatalities, but they represented the people’s desire to be free to meet their families.
- The Fall of the Berlin Wall
In 1989, people of East Germany revolted seeking ethnic political changes like the other Eastern European nations. The East German government was under pressure and surrendered, and on November 9, 1989, it said people could cross the border. The East Germans could hardly believe it – ecstatic people went to the Berlin Wall and began to knock it down using hammers and chisels. It became a significant point which culminated in the reunion of East and West Germany.
- Reunification of Berlin
Subsequent to the collapse of the Berlin Wall the official unification between East and West Germany occurred on 3 October 1990. Berlin extends the opportunity of Becoming Capital Of A United Germany Which Re-emphasizes The End Of The Cold War In Europe.
5.1 The Transformation of a City
New changes marked the reunification of Berlin city. Former barriers separating North and South Korea were dismantled by planners and architects with the help of international funding, and the formerly abandoned parts of the city were given new life. Berlin represents reconstructions today, and the overall meaning of unity exists in this city.
5.2 Cold War Memorials
In and around Berlin today there are many memorials and museums dedicated to the Cold War. Some of them are Checkpoint Charlie; East Side Gallery; the Berlin Wall Memorial etc. People can go around the places in order to develop an appreciation of the history of the city and the effects of the cold war on individuals.
Conclusion
The separation of Berlin and the joining again during the cold war was a very good example on the issue of east and west. What about freedom is shown in the Berlin Wall, the Berlin Airlift and the final takedown of the wall as a concrete structure which followed. Now, BERLIN symbolizes unity and will remain a reminder for new generations of people who once struggled to be together with people of other cultures.
