The 9th of November 2024 will mark the 35th year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Concrete barriers that kept Berlin divided for twenty-eight years were surged with an influx of German citizens from both sides of the wall, desperate to escape or see loved ones after decades of separation.
What Was the Berlin Wall?
The Berlin Wall was a massive series of reinforced concrete barriers or metal fencing that separated allied-controlled West Berlin from Soviet-controlled territory between 1961 and 1989. It had several heavily guarded checkpoints with armed patrols day and night across the perimeter.
The Berlin Wall measured over 87 miles (140 kilometres) in length around the entirety of West Berlin. Patrolled by guards and dogs, illuminated by floodlights and fortified by barbed wire and watchtowers, the wall divided Berlin for twenty-eight years.
Why Was the Berlin Wall Constructed?
There were many reasons, but the most commonly accepted is that the wall was built to keep the citizens of the USSR from emigrating through West Berlin. It was also a response to rising tensions between Western Europe and the USA with the USSR. Soviet media of the time portrayed the Berlin Wall as protecting its population from fascists and those who were “conspiring to prevent the will of the people”.
The Events Behind the Berlin Wall
It was decided on the 2nd of August 1945, that post-war Germany would be divided into four occupational zones, controlled by the major allied forces and the Soviet Union. The United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union each received a piece. This included the capital of Berlin. While the capital of Germany was in territory claimed by the Soviet Union, it was agreed to split the city into four occupied zones as well.
By the 1st of August 1948, the individual allied-occupied zones of Germany and Berlin would combine, and in 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany would officially unite West Germany under one administration.
Tensions and Emigration
Relations between East and West Germany were not on good terms. Incidents such as the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, and influx of West German currency into the East proved to the Soviets that Berlin would be a continuous weakness in their occupation of Germany.
Furthermore, Soviet-occupied countries had a dramatically different way of life compared to Western European counterparts. Many decided to emigrate, and the easiest route was by travelling from East Berlin to West Berlin.
Construction of the Berlin Wall
With large scale emigration of USSR citizens through West Berlin, alongside rising diplomatic tensions, the Soviets felt the need to take action. Construction started in 1961, soldiers began digging up streets, splitting homes and gardens.
First barbed wire was installed across these newly made divisions, and later concrete barriers and security measures. Countless families were split, with many East Berliners stranded in West Berlin. Citizens of West Berlin also felt trapped and isolated.
Why Did the Wall Fall?
The USSR in the 1980s was suffering from mounting economic, political, and social problems. The Cold War was nearing its end, and the power the USSR held over its citizens had weakened significantly.
Perhaps the biggest factor in the fall of the Berlin Wall was the divide between West European living standards and East European standards. The disparity in quality of living at this point was at its widest, and many had enough of it.
Many Eastern Germans sought to flee for a new life via newly opened borders in Hungary. When Hungary tried to send them back, the East Germans refused to return. Protests and increasing attempts at mass emigration soon saw the opening of checkpoints across the Berlin Wall on the 9th of November. The walls and fences were torn down by East and West Germans only hours later.
