The date was a quite typical in every sense of the word November 1989 which is a cold season in the vastness of Soviet Union. Both East and west Berlin citizens rejoiced on the streets wielding hammers as they danced in this new era. Now, do you actually know how many years is it since the Berlin Wall was torn down? Yes, let me go through the specifics of this historical, the event that led to the reunification of Germany and a new Germany.

The Construction of the Berlin Wall

To proceed with the history of the fall of the Berlin Wall, let’s first realize when and why it was erected. Following World War II, Germany was divided into four occupation zones controlled by Allied powers: The countries involved in the arms race are United States, Soviet Union, United Kingdom and France.

However, tensions between the Soviet Union and the Western Allies gradually escalated, leading to the division of Berlin, the capital city of Germany, into two separate entities: ,West Berlin remained undregtheg control of three Western Allies, while East Berlin emerged as the capital of East Germany under Soviet domination.

What is certain however is that the Berlin Wall also called, by the German Democratic Republic, the ‘Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart’ was built during the night of August 13 1961. It was a security installation that had concrete walls, barbs wire fencing, guns and watch towers covering ninety six miles- enclosing West Berlin from East Berlin.

Life Under the Berlin Wall

Construction of the Berlin Wall influence the lives of the Berliners mainly those living in East Germany in several ways. It was meant to separate families and free circulation between both parts of the city ceased at once.

It was forbidden for East Berliners to move and communicate with the West, they had little freedom of speech, and other rights. Failure to escape to the West was punished severely an estimated over one hundred people died trying to cross the Berlin wall before it was put in place.

The Peaceful Revolution

Leaping forward to late 1980s, changes started to occur in Eastern Europe. This was so because for some time Gorbachev had liberalized communism through glasnost and perestroika which paved way for more pressure to be put on political liberalization. It did not take long for the East Germans to get out on the streets with demonstrations holding grounds in cities such as Leipzig, Dresden and Berlin.

Günter Schabowski, member of the Politburo of the Socialist Unity Party, held a news conference on East Germany on November 9, 1989 in the evening. This was the last thing that people expected to hear, but Schabowski declared that citizens of the GDR could now leave for the West. Nevertheless, because of the confusion within the government he omitted to inform the public or Gorbachev that the new regulations were to come into force the following day.

People quickly got to know this piece of news, and East Berliners rushed to the border posts the same evening. Due to population pressure the border guards succumbed to pressure and opened the gates. East Germans celebrated the tearing down and in a single day thousands of them crossed the border; a symbolic phasing out of the Berlin Wall.

Impact and Reunification

Engineering the fall of the Berlin Wall led the way to reunification of Germany as well as marked the beginning of change for the European map. The West and the East Germany officially formed again on the 3rd of October in 1990 even before a year the wall came down.

People of East Germany experienced more changes after reunification in as much as they had to adopt to a new political economical system. That was an age of struggles and the birth of transformation in the nation that was once divided into two.

Conclusion

The demolition of the Berlin Wall is an important event in world history and an image of a better tomorrow and togetherness. It marked the closure of one of the most visible symbols of the civil division of the world and it also signaled one of the most inspiring victories in time in favor of the people and human freedom does matter.

Well, how many years ago was it since the year that the Berlin Wall came crashing down? When writing these lines, it has already been more than 30 years since that day in August 1989 when people of Berlin were able to take down the material separation that was present for almost three decades. It stands humbling to be reminded that whatever the odds against the achievement of a noble cause, there is always a way when people have to move in unity against the odds.