The Birth of a Barrier
Berlin was the victim of the tensions between the Soviet Union and its Western Allies during those same tumultuous years following World War II. In order to try and prevent mass East Berliners emigration into West Berlin, the German Democratic Government (GDR) chose to erect a protective barrier, the Berlin Wall.
The Construction Phase
That night, August 12, 1961, the Berlin Wall starts rising silently, unexpectedly, behind the scenes. In a matter of thousands of GDR soldiers and police officers, equipped with barbed wire and defence, concrete segments and towers, the city was split into two separate parts. Over time that improvised makeshift barricade was eventually replaced with a more permanent sort of structure.
To create the Berlin Wall was a combination of physical labour and heavy machinery. The foundation was built with painstaking construction by workers, soldiers and workers who laid the foundation and in place laid concrete segments varying in height around three to four meters (9.8 to 13.1 feet). For a full 155 kilometers (96 miles) around, the wall stood on the streets, in the neighborhoods, and sometimes encased within buildings.
It was the plans for about 200 guard towers, spaced at regular intervals around the perimeter of the fence and offering surveillance and a vantage point for border guards to prevent any escape attempts from the concrete labyrinth that became such a controversial issue last month. To watch over the area around the wall day and night the towers were outfitted with floodlights, search lights, and other surveillance gear.
An Impenetrable Barrier
When finished, the Berlin Wall was an intimidating piece of architecture: aimed at, and intended to be a deterrent and a prevention against, unauthorized crossings. The austere and intimidating appearance of it was yet another reminder of the more divisive East and West.
But the wall was not one continuous erection over its entire length. The different barriers were barriers of walls, fences and tank traps all serving to reinforce the separation between the two sides. With these added obstacles, die innercity border fortifications included “Hinterland Wall” and “Death Strip”.
The Human Impact
The existence of the Berlin Wall materially changed the lives of people living both on and off its borders.
Suppression and Isolation
The wall meant more then just a wall to East Berlin residents. It was suppression of personal freedoms, preventing them from allowing themselves to be better opportunities or united with friends and family in the West.
Families and loved ones alike were pulled apart overnight and for decades were unable to see or speak to each other. It was not just a division of the city but of the hearts and the minds of its inhabitants, making them feel isolated and hopeless.
Escape Attempts and Tragic Consequences
Yet many East Berliners tried dangerous escapes to get away from the oppressive regime. The others dug tunnels or used secret passages, a few tried to climb over the wall. Some of these brave people ran the risk of jail or physical injury or even death at the hands of border guards.
Stories of those who have died while trying to cross the wall became international headlines, making it a symbol of tragedy. It is a reminder of what people did to gain freedom.
The Fall of the Wall
Discontent in East Germany with the GDR, with demands for change continued to mount. Historically, on Nov. 9, 1989, that ended abruptly, when an unexpected announcement by a spokesperson for the GDR government changed the course of history. The wall became obsolete with the discussions on resolving the Berlin problem: East Berliners were allowed to travel freely to the West.
Jubilant crowds ran onto the once divided border, descending, with spontaneous celebrations on both sides of the wall. Some took advantage of an opportunity to be with loved ones, explore the once-forbidden West and participate in an historic chapter.
The Aftermath
This reunification meant the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunited East with West Germany. The wall was torn down over time, the physical scars healing slowly. Today, a trace of the wall still exists; these are marks of the city’s rough past and the strength of its people.
Few other events of modern history mark a dividing line like the construction and fall of the Berlin Wall did: symbolizing the division of a city, the struggle for freedom. Though the physical structure is no longer present its existence continues to exist as a reminder that unity, perseverance, and recognition of the human rights and aspirations of all people should be appreciated.
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