The Origins and Construction of the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall was the name for the ‘Wall of Shame ‘ which physically divided Berlin city from 1961 to 1989. Built by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) for the most part as a means to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany and its capitalistic system, it was used.
The stretch of the Wall was only about 155 kilometers (96 miles) long, and was made of bars, barb wire fences, guard towers, and anti vehicle trenches. The Wall was a symbol of oppression — and the Iron Curtain that separated the Eastern world from the Western one — during the Cold War, and although the German government promoted it as a protective barrier, it was widely viewed as just another means of rule by the forces of Communist dictatorship.
Effects of the Berlin Wall on the City and Its Inhabitants
The Berlin Wall caused such a major ruckus and changed the city forever. The Wall cut apartments in two, streets in two, neighborhoods in two, and suddenly families and friends were torn apart. Emotionally painful to say the least, this physical separation eventually hindered the day to day lives of those affected.
East Berlin, under the control of the Soviet Union, lived drastically different to West Berlin which thrived. It reminded me, starkly, of the stark contrast between the ‘living standards, economic opportunities, and personal freedoms’ to be found on either side of that wall.
At least 138 people lost their lives attempting to cross the Wall, shot or otherwise, it isn’t known. These deaths were a sign of the lengths people would go to in order to get outside of that oppressive regime and live in a better life on the other side.
The Symbolic and Political Significance of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall itself symbolized the global split between the democratic West and the communist East, standing as a physical marker and expression of Cold War era political and ideological divisions. Over time it became an iconic symbol of a world divided, a symbol of what divides capitalism from communism.
Politically the Berlin Wall was historically important as it showed, as decisively as could be, failure of the communist regime and the capacity of its people to flee to the West to enjoy freedom and opportunity regardless of any efforts. Empowered by this symbol of resistance to oppression, and of hope to millions of people seeking for liberty, a place on the Wall came to be seen as a masculine duty, a prized privilege as well as a step up in the hierarchy of masculinity itself.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall and Its Aftermath
On November 9, 1989, the history was defined as Berlin Wall came down and months of peaceful protests and political changes were sweeping through Eastern Europe. Wall fell was a symbol of the end of the Cold War, and reunification of Germany.
Their joy at the dismantling of the Wall and the reunification of families and friends, and the descent from that wall that had divided them for nearly three decades. The city became reunited East and West Berlin from which there occurred change, growth and transformation.
The fall of the Wall big geopolitical consequences had. Its traces said victory for freedom and democracy over totalitarianism and repression, for the unity of Germany. Its importance consisted in being the turning point of history, the folding of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war era.
The Importance of Remembering the Berlin Wall
While the physical Wall no longer stands, its legacy is quite real and so important. It reminds us that division has consequences and that human spirit, though it may be down in its mien, is so committed to unity and freedom that it will strain itself to the breaking point to achieve that unity.
By remembering the Berlin Wall we protest the repression suffered under it and the lives lost attempting to topple it. That it is a reminder to take care of whatever the fundamental rights and liberties we now enjoy today.
A chance to learn from history, understanding the power of resilience and unity, a chance to honor the progress in bringing peace and democracy to a world where once there would have been a wall between each country.
In Conclusion
Berlin’s Wall is one of the strongest symbols of division, the effects of the division and ultimately the unity of a city and its people. After reading its construction and its fall it shows how it demonstrates the consequences of political ideologies on people’s lives and the complete power of the human spirit over oppression.
Not forgetting the Berlin wall is not just important to know about our shared history but also important to see how important is unity and freedom in our current society. From it, we can learn to work towards such a world: a world where peoples’ walls come down, and where we can all live in peace, regardless our difference.
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