The Berlin Wall a concrete structure which separated the German city of Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It served as a sign of the political antipathy between East and West during the Cold War. One commonly asked question about this iconic structure is: how long was the Berlin Wall?
The Length of the Berlin Wall
The general extent of the construction of the Berlin Wall was about 155 Kilometres or 96miles. In fact, the size of Vancouver is comparable with New York City and Philadelphia being approximately 3300 km away from each other. It would be misleading, however, to say that the wall was built in the form of a straight line all the way around the city: instead, it crisscrossed the city ‘s various districts and streets and even buildings at certain points.
The History of the Construction of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was built on August 13 of 1961. The East Germany with the blessings of Soviet governments and administrators built the wall to stunt the emigration of its citizens to West Germany. Over the years several changes were made to the wall and increasing the complex to prevent people from fleeing from east Berlin to west Berlin.
The Berlin Wall had a couple of walls and in between there was a narrow strip known as the death strip. The death strip was about 160 meters (525 feet) in length, during which death could claim anyone who tried to scale the fence as guards had a clear shot. The wall itself was made of concrete panels with bars of barbed wire and barbed wire steel mesh fences. Towers have been constructed at various places along the wall to give extensive coverage of the surrounding environment.
History and Demise of the Berlin Barrier
In as much as the wall is concerned it took only 28 years to be demolished. It got to its downfall due to pressure from the citizens of the East Germany, shifting political system within the Eastern European countries, and a thirst of feeling the freedom plus getting back together with the western German nations. In East Germany on November 9 in public statement, the government said that people could cross the border through the checkpoints, and that is how began the tearing down of the wall with equal enthusiasm by both the sides of Germans. Shortly thereafter, Germany was reunified signifying the post Cold war world.
Impact and Significance
The division that selected the Berlin Wall represented much over the wall. It became a vivid emblem of the Soviet Communism and the Western Democracy as well as slavery and liberty. It fell that year and audiences were made aware of the spirit of the united peoples who work, fight, and die for the freedom and liberty, which have always been so dear to them. Today pieces of the wall act not only as strong symbolic images of the tragic history but as significant historical monuments honoring the victims who endured the grim fate under the wall’s regime.
Visiting the Berlin Wall
The lessons learned from the occurrence at Berlin Wall can make a visitor very emotional. Some parts of the wall remain standing today and have been developed into outdoor museum that is called the East Side Gallery, for instance. These sections include murals and paintings by the world artists, making this site almost a history and art center. Furthermore, the Berliner Mauer and the Gedenkstätte displays general information about the former Wall including, individual experiences and testimonies.
On visiting, it becomes crucial to understand the importance of the wall and any contact is to be paid much reverence. If nothing else, take the time to sit and think about the lives of those who had their existence touched by its existence. That way you’ll get possibility to understand the history of this symbol even better and realize how significant it is.
In Conclusion
The wall was constructed between August 13, 1961 and October 2, 1962 and was about 155 kilometres (96 miles) in length. It was used as both a physical and symbolic dividing line between East and West during the period of the so called Cold War. The breakdown of the wall symbolized victory of oneness for the desire of liberty. Today it is a symbol of the past and a harbinger of better future for the society with no divisions.
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