63 years ago, the August 13th, 1961, construction of the Berlin Wall began, an event that further exacerbated the Cold War. Erected by the government of East Germany (German Democratic Republic, GDR), the wall it became the symbol of the division between the Eastern Bloc, led by the Soviet Union, and the Western one, supported by the United States and its allies. Initially composed of barbed wire, it was soon replaced by prefabricated concrete and stone elements, forming a solid barrier which, once completed, completely surrounded West Berlin, transforming the three western sectors into an island within the eastern territories.
During its period of existence, the Berlin Wall was the scene of approximately 5.000 successful escape attempts by East German citizens into West Berlin. At least 133 people lost their lives in an attempt to cross it.
The wall it remained standing for 28 years, until November 9, 1989, when its fall marked the end of the division of Germany and the Cold War between East and West. That evening, thousands of people began climbing over and tearing down the wall, which had separated Berlin and Europe for nearly three decades. The event symbolized the end of the separation between the Western world and the communist bloc, already in decline due to Mikhail Gorbachev's perestroika and the uprisings in other Eastern European countries, such as Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Romania, in addition to the protest of Tiananmen Square in China in 1989.
Berlin after the Second World War
After the Second World War, during the Yalta Conference in 1945, Berlin was divided into four sectors controlled by the Soviet Union, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. The Soviet sector, the largest, included the eastern districts of Berlin.
In 1948, the Soviet Union tried to occupy the entire city through the “Berlin blockade”, provoking a response from the allies who established a airlift to supply the western sectors. In 1949, the three western sectors became an integral part of West Germany and were surrounded by East Germany, becoming an island.
Initially, Berliners could move freely between sectors, but as relations between East and West deteriorated, movements were progressively limited. In the 1952, the The border between East and West Germany was closed. The difficult living conditions under the Soviet regime pushed approx 2,6 million people to flee towards the West between 1949 and 1961, using Berlin as an escape route. This exodus caused serious economic problems and social to the German Democratic Republic, bringing the Soviet leadership and the East German government to take drastic measures, culminating in the decision to build a Wall to stop the bleeding of people.
The architect of the operation was Walter ulbricht, head of state of the GDR and secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany who exerted strong pressure on the Soviet leadership to obtain consent for the construction of the wall. Although he had publicly denied the plans for the construction, “no one intends to build a wall” he said publicly, behind the scenes Ulbricht was planning with the Soviets to close the borders. THE'Operation “Rose”, led by Erich Honecker, involved GDR police forces and militias, with the support of Soviet troops.
August 13, 1961: the creation of the Wall begins
- Westerners underestimated Soviet determination, and the Berlin Wall was erected quickly and secretly on the night between 12 and 13 August 1961, initially using only barbed wire. Roads were blocked, train lines cut, and Berliners suddenly found themselves separated from friends and family.
Starting from August 15, the barbed wire was replaced with prefabricated concrete and stone elements, thus creating the first version of the Wall, which completely surrounded West Berlin, transforming the western sectors into an island within the eastern territory.
Although East German authorities claimed that it was a “anti-fascist protection wall” to prevent aggression from the West, it was clear that the real aim was to prevent East German citizens from fleeing to West Berlin and, therefore, West Germany. With the wall, the USSR achieved its goal: from 1962 to 1989, only five thousand people managed to emigrate.
Berlin Wall: a symbol of the Cold War
The Berlin Wall quickly became one of the symbols of the “Iron Curtain” that divided Europe, the representation of the contrast between the two world blocs. About 3,6 meters high and over 140 kilometers long, it was guarded by control towers, armed troops and a “death strip” which made escape attempts extremely dangerous, causing the death of many people. The fortified structure included a 3,5 meter deep moat and two reinforced concrete walls, guarded by 302 control towers, barbed wire, guard dogs and 14.000 East German guards.
For 28 years, the The Berlin Wall was an open wound in the heart of Europe, separating not only a city and a nation, but also families and communities. During this period, around 5.000 East German citizens managed to successfully escape to West Berlin, while at least 133 people lost their lives, although some estimates suggest a number higher than 200.
November 9, 1989: the wall falls
The Berlin Wall stood for 28 years until November 9 1989, when, under the pressure of popular demonstrations and political changes in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the East German government announced open borders. That night, thousands of East and West Berliners gathered at the wall, physically breaking him down in a climate of euphoria.
It all began on the afternoon of November 9th when, Egon Krenz, general secretary of the East German Communist Party, decided to open new crossing points. A few hours later, during a press conference, the regime's spokesperson, Gunter Schabowski, misinterpreted this information and announced that citizens from the East could cross the border “immediately”. This communication error unleashed a wave of enthusiasm among the citizens of the East, who rushed to the border crossings, forcing the guards to let them pass.
The event was broadcast on television around the world, showing West Berlin invaded by disbelieving and cheering citizens from the East. Many took fragments of the wall as souvenirs, while the famous cellist Mstislav Rostropovich played a suite at Checkpoint Charlie, making the moment even more symbolic.
In the days that followed, the removal of the wall became a kind of ritual for many, nicknamed “Mauerspechte” (peaks of the wall). On July 21, 1990, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd organized a concert to celebrate the fall of the Wall, performing "The Wall" live.
La Germany was officially reunified on October 3, 1990, with the integration of the five states of the former GDR into the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).