The Berlin Wall

Construction of the Berlin Wall

On August 13, 1961, the East German government began the construction of a wall separating West Berlin from East Berlin. This abrupt decision by the Communist Party came after years of mass migration, including skilled workers, professionals and intellectuals from the east to the west. Until the construction of the Wall, East Germany saw its population decrease by a sixth part.

Initially a mix of barbed wire and cinder blocks, after its construction the Wall went through many reforms and renovations. A series of concrete walls, watchtowers, and landmines were used to upgrade it and by the 1980 decade, it was not only dividing West and East Berlin, but also detaching the Western part from East Germany since it was around all over West Berlin. Although it made it more difficult to leave East Germany, it did not stop people from trying to escape, which led to many deaths and detentions. The Wall even had a section called “death strip” due to the presence of bed nails, anti-vehicle trenches and landmines in this area.

Life in the times of the Berlin Wall

Life in Berlin drastically changed under the Wall. It divided the city, cut across streets and squares. Even the Brandenburg Gate was off limits, since it was surrounded by the wall, located on the area known as “no man’s land”. It divided families and friends, since crossing permits were hard to get.

Speak against the Wall 

In 1963 the then US President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin where he gave a speech about democracy, freedom and the deprivation under communist regime in East Berlin. Another important figure that went to Berlin in the following year was Martin Luther King Jr., who gave speeches on both sides of the Wall. Due to the Cold War and the fact that the racial violence in the US was used by the Soviets as “an indication of the failure of American society”, the US Embassy in Berlin were very attentive about King’s visit to the East side and even confiscated his passport in order to deter his visit to the East side.

Life under the shadow of the Wall was very different on both sides. While the Western side had access to a bigger variety of products, more political parties and freedom in general, the East side was more controlled and had more surveillance under the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police. However, stereotypical views from both sides prevent us from understanding this complex reality.

This way, the Berlin Wall was not only a materialized symbol for Churchill’s Iron Curtain, but also a symbol for the Cold War.

To learn more about this subject:

https://time.com/5504826/martin-luther-king-wall-history/

https://www.dw.com/en/remembering-martin-luther-kings-visit-to-berlin/a-17907455

https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/berlin-w-germany-rudolph-wilde-platz-19630626

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Berlin-Wall

https://www.visitberlin.de/en/living-divided-city-west-berlin

https://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de/en/aufbau-der-grenzanlagen-49.html

https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/berlin-w-germany-rudolph-wilde-platz-19630626

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=LEGISSUM:4301000

https://www.die-berliner-mauer.de/en/maps/map-of-the-berlin-wall