For many people all over the world the event of Berlin Wall coming down is one of the most highly charged and emblematic ones. This event became not only the overturn of the barrier that separated East and West Berlin physically but symbolically signalized the end of the Cold War. From this article, we shall seek to unravel features that resulted into this phenomenal occurrence by appreciating the circumstances that shaped the world today.
The Construction of the Berlin Wall
In order to understand the importance of the event of Berlin Wall’s collapse in full, one must start with the story of its creation. After the Second World War Berlin was split into East Berlin controlled by USSR and the western parts owned by the Allied forces. When the relations between the Soviet Union and the West powers had worsened, people especially from East Berlin flee the region in hope of better lives in the western parts of the divided city.
Losing its skilled people and feeling the odium, the East Germany government, under the cloak of the soviet Union built the Berlin Wall on August 13 in the same year. It was also meant to control further immigration and detach the two Berlins and finally make Berlin Inner a closed city.
The Grip of Oppression
As soon as Checkpoint Charlie was built and the Berlin Wall was constructed, the lives of citizens of East Berlin were difficult and dangerous. The families were divided, the employment prospects declined, and no interaction could be made between east and west part of the city. This wall could also represent the iron curtain that separated Europe in to the east and the west during the cold war periods.
Freedom of movement to the West became almost a fantasy because there were barbed wires, watchtowers, and armed barriers on the wall. The East German authorities ordered guards at the Berlin wall not to allow anyone to cross over despite of using force such as shoot-to-kill order.
Rise of Dissent and Protests
However, as can be seen, there was dissatisfaction among the people of East Germany at least during these years. They experienced slow economic growth, no political liberty, and the conditions were features that made them yearn for that western way of life.
There are several factors that a led to the reform; for instance, increased influence of the western media and the awakening of new political forces. Such a movement that began in East Germany was called the Peaceful Revolution that began in 1989. Two weeks in to September 1989, demonstrations demanding political liberalization and freedom of assembly erupted in East Germany including in Leipzig .
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The climax was reached on November 9, 1989: a series of misunderstandings and political vagueness came together to brew the unexpected. Günter Schabowski …im an East German Communist Party mistakenly pronounced on the live press that travel restrictions have been eased.
In a twist of this social drama, East Berliners stormed the border to demand permission to go to the West. People flocked to the border in such large numbers that the guards relented and the crossings to the west side of the wall were opened.
The Aftermath and Historical Significance
Less than a month after the Wall has fallen the entire system of the ‘Iron Curtain’ has collapsed and so did the Cold War to a large extent. The walls echoed with its ring, representing victory of liberty, democracy as well as the voice of the civilization.
While the reunification of East and West Berlin was quickly swallowed up, the reunification of Germany itself created a path towards the reconstruction of Europe’s political geographical landscape. The break of the Berlin Wall still brings the understanding of the sense of change despite odds.
Legacy and Remembrance
Modern life landmarks are parts of the Berlin Wall that can symbolize the previous era. Daily we see museums, monuments, and graffiti-filled areas of the wall as evidences of the hard-fought struggle by people who lived through these troubled times. The Berlin Wall Memorial, the East Side Gallery and are few of the touching places which have been dedicated to this chapter in history.
Through the observation of events prior to the falling of Berlin Wall and the subsequent social changes it is possible to realize that people are invincible. And this serves as a reminder that even the greatest divides can be surmounted to help generations embrace the idea of a freedom based, united, world.
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