Bulding the Wall around West Berlin

Until 1961 East German citizens were allowed to travel to West Berlin. Traveling to West Germany became difficult after closing the border between East and West Germany in 1952. The Wall was erected in 1961 because more than 2.6 million East Germans escaped to West Berlin or West Germany from 1949 to 1961. This was 15.2% of East Germany’s total population. 

Life in the West was much better than in the East after 1948. West Germany, including West Berlin, received financial help through the Marshall Plan from the USA. In East Germany a communist system was established and many people had to suffer under repressions of the Communist party. 

In May 1952 the open border (Zonengrenze) between East and West Germany was closed by the East German government. In the years after 1952 it became more difficult and dangerous to escape to the West over this border. However, the border between East and West Berlin was not closed. Many East German citizens went to East Berlin and from there to West Berlin. Once they arrived in West Berlin they stayed there or fled to West Germany. 

This caused many problems for East Germany. East Germany lost many skilled workers to West Berlin and West Germany. Having two currencies in especially West Berlin and Germany was another serious problem. West German currency could be exchanged into East German currency at a rate of 1:4 (1 West = 4 East) in West Berlin. People with West German currency could get goods very cheaply in the Eastern part of Berlin. 

The East German government saw no other way to prevent people from escaping to the West via Berlin than closing the border between East and West Berlin. Thus, the border was closed on August 13, 1961 and the Berlin Wall was built.