The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, was a physical and ideological barrier that separated East and West Berlin during the Cold War. While the wall itself represented the division between the communist East and the democratic West, it is crucial to understand which side of the wall was democratic. In this article, we will explore the answer to this question and shed light on the historical context surrounding the Berlin Wall.
The Berlin Wall: An Overview
That is why, to be able to grasp the idea of democratic meaning of its existence, one should focus on the history of the Berlin Wall creation. After the World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the United States of America, Soviet Union and Great Britain and France. Even though it is situated in the heart of the Soviet sphere the city of Berlin was also partitioned into four zones. These division created conflict among the powers.
Due to loss of citizens to West Germany in 1961 the East German government with the support of Sovietunion decided to build a barrier separating East and West Berlin. The wall was to keep the East Germans from escaping to the West. On one side it was a symbolic wall that separated two different political realities on both sides of the border.
The Democratic West
The side of the Berlin Wall that was western including West Berlin and West Germany was democratic. West Germany was governed by a parliamentary democracy, free elections, numerous political parties and civil liberties’ enshrined in its constitution. The people had liberty and freedom of expression, liberty of association and liberated market economy.
East Germany was again physically embedded in West Berlin which remained a free world. It turned to be a symbol of struggling against communism rule. West Berlin was receiving support from the western powers, this kept its form of governance and the welfare of the civilian population at a democrative system and decent standard respectively while they were surrounded by the wall.
The Communist East
On the one hand, while the western side of the Berlin Wall included West Berlin and West Germany, the place was democratically developed unlike the east side. The control that the Soviet Union had over East Germany was immense therefore it had a great control over the political, economic and social structures.
In the East Germany there was the ruling party the Socialist Unity Party or SED, and it held the line of communism as principles. The government allowed limited control over the economy and even fewer freedoms for the people. They were not enjoying equal rights of speech or freedom of assembly as well freedom to vote and be voted for like in the western countries.
It examines the Iron Curtain and the Symbolic Divide.
Fitzgerald in his article though clearly states that the Democratic Germany was on the side of the Berlin Wall, it’s appropriate to note that the whole wall represented the division between the democratic West and the communist East. This overall split Winston Churchill gave the name of the ‘Iron Curtain’ in a speech in 1946. But this division was not only evident economically; the Berlin Wall, a physical sign, put a focus on the dissimilar political ideologies.
Conclusion
The democratic side of the Berlin Wall was on the East side however the West Berlin and West Germany. These regions conducted elections freely, had several political parties and allowed their citizens personal freedoms. On one side of Berlin and Germany there was freedom in virtually all aspects of life, political democracy, etc., while on the other side there was communism and total opposition to what the west enjoyed.
The Berlin Wall epitomised the east verses west division, somewhat between democracy as opposed to communism. Its construction also separated families and friends in welfare, those living in its large shadow incurred immense suffering. In 1989 the fall of the Wall signified the reunification for Germany and the of the cold war period.