A short history of the Berlin Wall
A short history of the Berlin Wall
The communist regime in Eastern Europe seemed indestructible for 40 years. The iron curtain began to fall in 1989 and in just one year countries have left communism in succession like domino stones. The Berlin Wall is called a symbol of the Cold War as the "physical representation" of the Iron Curtain. For 28 years the huge building divided into two one city - Berlin and a country - Germany. The case of the Berlin Wall is the most important sign of the failure of the communist block.The construction of the wall began on August 13, 1961 to stop the emigration of the German people to the west. In the east it was called "the anti -fascist protective wall", while it was called "Wall of the shame" in the west. 155 km shame of over 3 m high, 43 km through the heart of Berlin.
The border also consisted of kilometers of trenches, bunkers, hundreds of watchtowers and barbed wire. Although the construction of the wall started in 1961, Germany had been torn apart since the end of the Second World War. In 1945 the imperial capital was divided between the Allied Powers in the West and the Soviet Union in the east, and in 1949 two countries were born: the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. In 1952 the GDR closed its border to West Germany, concerned about the emigration of the population. However, there were exposed areas where people could still happen. More than 2.5 million Germans made it to the West between 1949 and 1961.
Although the GDR leader Walter Ulbricht explained on June 15, 1961 that there would be no wall, the eastern part of Berlin will be surrounded by barricades and barbed wire on August 13th. The wall is built in certain stages. In 1962 a barricade was added, 90 feet on the inside, creating a strictly controlled "forced zone". Houses on this strip were planned and people moved. The zone, cum and full of fishing wire, offered the guards an extensive field of fire. In 1965, viewing towers were added with the upright of concrete walls and over the years, while the patrols and security were increased.
The "four-generation wall" completed in 1975 was the last version. It was assembled from 3.6 meters high and 1.2 meters wide. The wall was reinforced with motion detectors, fence network and barbed wire, trenches against vehicles, and a clean tube was installed on the comb wall that would have even made a escalation problematic.
The eight passing points were specially designed for different groups of people that could happen. The best known was Checkpoint Charlie, who was only aimed at allied employees and non -German citizens. In the history of the wall, military personnel, officials and allied diplomats were able to enter East Berlin without passport control. Soviet patrols could also be freely available in West Berlin.
On November 9, 1989, the GDR government decided to allow visits to West Germany, but the Minister of Propaganda was not properly informed, so that a lot of confusion arose. Tens of thousands of Berlin stormed the border crossings and claimed to move freely in the west. Overwhelmed by tens of thousands of people and without clear instructions, the border guards would probably not open the fire to enable the crowds to pass.
The wall was retained some time after November 9th. On June 13, 1990, the GDR army formally started demolition, and on July 1, all border crossing points were conventionally abolished. On October 3, 1990, the two German halves were finally put together again. Today only three parts of the wall are preserved: a 80 meter long section near Postdamer Platz, a longer section near the Spree and the third part, which was converted into a monument, north of Bernauer Straße.
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This article arises from an idea, found somewhere in the world in an international article. Translated and newly written.
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