East Berlin or eastern Berlin means a sector of the German capital, occupied by the Soviet Union in the framework of the division of Germany after World War II. Berlin as a whole was divided into two parts: Since 1945 the city of Berlin has been divided into West Berlin, which is administered by the Western Allies, and East Berlin where the Soviet Union has total control. It took almost forty years for Berlin’s division to happen, this was from 1945 to 1990.
The Berlin Wall
An internationally recognized symbol of division of East and West Berlin was the Berlin Wall. Standing from 1961, the wall divided the city in its literal sense, splitting through the streets, neighborhoods and often, families. The Berlin wall was secured and strengthened and had one major purpose; to ensure that none of the East Berliners escaped to the Western side.
Constructed 1961, the wall remained in place for 28 years and actual dismantling of the wall commenced on 09 November 1989, marking the actual start of reunification of the two Germany. Modern-day Antioch harbours only a part of this wall, and what a powerful symbol of the suppression of the ancient city and its inhabitants it is.
Location of East Berlin
From a geographical point of view East Berlin was the capital of eastern Germany which is situated nearly 180 kilometers away from the Baltic Sea. It was lying 70 miles or 115 kilometers west of the German-Polish border. That is why the Spree River running along the heart of Berlin separated the city into its eastern and western parts.
Places of interest in East Berlin included Alexander Platz, which is a transport center, and the TV Tower, which has an amazing view of the city. Other important places which were visited were CheckPoint Charlie which was a party that separated East and West Berlin and the Brandenburg Gate that symbolizes German reunification.
Reunification and the present
After the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 East and West Germany merged on October 3 1990 to constitute the Federal Republic of Germany. East Berlin no longer had an individual identity and Berlin in total became the capital of a united Germany once more.
Today the people of Berlin can experience the history of East Berlin in every corner of their city. Tourists may walk around the parts of the wall still standing, visit museums and memorials to the division and the result of the reunification is the modern culture that is in Berlin now.
Also, East Berlin has changed greatly after the reunification of Germany took place. The area of East Berlin is filled with many neighborhoods that Evidence has some serious work of redevelopment making it rich in both history and new age touch architectural structures.
In Conclusion
East Berlin was the eastern part of the city of Berlin in Germany in the period of the Cold War. The wall which divided the two was a concrete barrier and East Berlin came under Soviet influence when the allies divided Germany. After the fall of the major wall along East and West Germany and reforming the two nations back into one, East Berlin sort of faded away and Berlin became the only capital it is today. Today one is able to visit and learn more about the historical past and legacy of East Berlin all over the city.
