Introduction
What do you know about the Berlin Wall? Well, you are in the right place if not. In this article, we are going to discuss historical background, meaning, and consequences which the one of the few most memorable constructions of the twentieth century brought. So, let’s dive in!
History
Berlin Wall was a concrete division built by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) between East and West Berlin from 1961-1989. Originally, it was designed to stop East Berliners from crossing the border to West Berlin, in what was then owned by the Federal Republic of Germany.
Following World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by the Allied powers: The four major powers for which the theory was applicable were the United States, United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. East Germany was also split in four, and Berlin, the capital city, was also divided in four sectors under Soviet control.
The three other powers did not have good relations with the S. Union and this marked the beginning of the cold war. In 1949 West Germany was formed and Bonn became the Federal Republic. On the other hand East Germany under leadership of Moscow and with East Berlin as its capital still belonged to the soviet block.
When tension began to build up, over two and a half million East Germans sought asylum in West Germany through West Berlin since before 1961, the border was freely accessible. This stock of the young intelligent and working generation known as the “brain drain” was a major set back to the East German economy and communist government.
Construction and Structure
On the 13/8/1961, The East German government started constructing the Berlin Wall. Originally comprised of barbed-wire barriers, it gradually progressed to concrete walls along with watch towers, anti-vehicle trenches, expansive ‘minefields’ with a vast no man’s zone cleared of any vegetation to give clear visibility of the border guards.
It was 155 km (96 miles) long in the city, which divided people: relatives and friends, neighborhoods and clans. It was not a single structure that was unbroken but was a combination of structures that were intended to slow down cross boundary movement.
This wall went on with several architectural development processes for the years, and it emerged much more stronger and harder to be invaded. It developed into a series of walls that had this geographical limitations between two walls, a space known as the death strip where prisoners where morphed into miners and fence workers that was locked at night, surrounded by electric fences and mines, machine guns and patrols of trained dogs, and filled to the brim with alarms and traps.
Significance and Impact
The metre topic of the frescoes is the division between Western democracy and Soviet-controlled communism as represented by the Berlin Wall in the Cold War period. It symbolised the divide of the western and the eastern world: the ‘Iron Curtain’.
It brought change to the lives of ordinary citizens of Berlin and to the Germany as a whole. People lost their loved ones, they were betrayed and dcided forever – friendships, families, relationships. The guard was to imply a permanency of that life that existed beyond it, a life of fear, of being alone, and oppressed.
However, it also became the beginning of resistance and mainly nonviolent protest. This craving for liberty made East Germans increasingly dissatisfied and it swelled demonstrations which demanded political liberalization. Finally, with the November 9, 1989 Eastern Berlin Wall collapse, Germany was reunited and the cold war era came to a close.
Legacy
This Wall in Berlin sends an important message about the effects of partition and also known as the victory of human spirit. It has adopted culturally significant meanings such as the hope, perseverance and the need of attaining freedom. Today small parts of the wall can still be seen around Berlin and the structure is a symbol of the hard time that the city had to go through.
When presented with such attractions like the Berlin Wall Memorial, the East Side Gallery, Checkpoint Charlie, one is gets a whole new perspective on just how important this once seemingly impenetrable wall was and what the great people did to overcome the division.
Conclusion
The main idea may be expressed as Freedom and how consequences of the Berlin divide led to iron curtain and barriers came to institute remembering. Its construction and its destruction determined the future of the world and has had a profound impact on the future.
ThehistoryoftheBerlinairedefinesthattheBerminkahasplayedavitalroleinworldhistoryandtherewehavelearnedmanythingsaboutittodayintherealworld. From the experiences, which are related in this work, we can grasp the true picture of suffering in order to cherish and defend the fragile achievement of togetherness, liberty, and the maintenance of humanitarian rights.
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