This was witnessed early this period with the breaking down of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. For 28 years, this building had been reminding citizens and guests about the existence of Cold War and divided Germany. Its sudden collapse not only created a unification of a nation but also changed the face of politics in the world and even effected social and economical transformations in the country.
The Immediate Significance
East Germans started flooding west Berlin in thousands even while the fall of the Berlin Wall was still in process. The measure of this historical event was as colossal as the shock: millions saw, and this signaled that it was the end. The restoration of the East and West Germany became an irreversible fact as people brazenly used their hands to demolish the wall they had been denied a free life behind.
Reunification of Germany
Germany received unification on the 3rd of October, 1990, and with it, this consolidated the separations that have continuously affected Germany since the Second World War. Two States –East Germany and West Germany came into one nation and thus becoming a sovereign state. Though this process entailed many problems like eradicating economic differences and merging two completely different systems, this process created a solid ground for establishing a more unison and prosperous Germany.
Overall, unification gave the common persons of Germany a better chance at opportunities, better jobs and overall, a better standard of living. The new feeling of togetherness; a feeling of nationalism created a new level of self-pride among Germans.
Consequences for the further development of European integration
The paper will argue that the processes with the fall of the Berlin Wall and its dismantling affected not only Germany but also European integration as a whole. The unification proved instrumental in additional European integration and was a central factor in formulating of the existing union.
: Few people will completely disagree with the statement that the expansion of the European Union is conducive to the development of the eurozone member countries.
After the break down of the Berlin Wall, the precursor units forged way for the formation of the European Union. To some extent, it meant the withdraw of the cold war division in Europe and opportunities for countries previously enclosed by the curtain of the communism. Post the collapse of communism, a few countries of Eastern Europe began to look for membership in EU which triggered a number of enlargements over the next decades. In the present time the European Union consists of 27 countries and is still expanding to promote peace, stability and cooperation in its countries.
Impetus for Integration
Germany’s reunification was the ideal catalyst to bolster European integration on political and-economic basis as well. The German example became an inspiration to prove that cooperation and collaboration should be at the center of Europe’s integration, that the Europe, based on a cooperation, was not just necessary but could be advantageous for all members of the union. Thus the wish to avoid future divisions and Wars in Europe created pressure to move deeper and hence led to Deep integration seen in projects like the Maastricht treaty and development of the Euro Zone.
Global Geopolitical Shifts
It was the pivotal effect that launched complex and far-reaching geopolitical consequences for any region of the world other than Europe. It was the start of the new world as we know today and created a new power structure as well as new nature of relation between countries.
End of the Cold War
These political structures are the cold war that saw the falling of Berlin Wall. The competition that characterized international relations for the better part of the twentieth century was between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, so the toppling of the wall signified a triumph for the Western powers and a defeat for the Eastern powers. It led to what has been described as the change from bipolar world to the unipolar one, with America in the center. Such a change in the polarity of international relations meant that European powers with colonies across the world could no longer safely ignore events happening on the continent and vice versa.
Opening of New Markets
The events such as the breakage of the Berlin Wall opened enormous possibilities of the economic growth and the globalization at the same time. Coping with liberalization of Eastern European markets and shrinking of trade barriers, new ventures poured into the area. This inflows of capital and technological know-how increased the pace of economic growth and turned some erstwhile Eastern Bloc countries into new centres of economic growth helping create new economic contenders in Eastern Europe.
Implications For Social and Cultural life
In addition to political and economical effects, the volume presents the cultural-social effects of the fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany and the world.
Hope and Reconciliation
The break down of the East and West German borders signified a break down of barriers of optimism throughout the world. People who are separated from their families and friends for many years were able to meet each other, and people got confident that they are healed with regard to this point. It brought hope, happiness and a new faith in a common cause, a common goal and a common people.
Legacy of Division
Again, although Germans can now celebrate the Stasis’ final dismantling during and after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, the experience has not totally faded into oblivion. People still remember physical and psychological effects of the wall and families’ separation. Statuses preserve segments of the wall like the East part gallery in Berlin, implicitly demonstrate to the world of the previous era and the need to uphold freedom of human rights.
In Conclusion
The actual event concerning the fall of Benin wall was a revolutionary one not only in Europe but throughout the entire world. : It facilitated the creation of a united Germany while catalyzing international relations in Europe and otherwise putting the globe in motion. Besides, it had the great social and cultural meanings as the message of hope, as people’s reconciliation, and as the reference to the future. This is a story of integration, individual strength alongside nation’s strength, fighting for the best and rejecting division and barriers that may continue to pull the world apart during this time when we could be celebrating togetherness.
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