Berlin Wall - details and images
Berlin Wall, which divided the city into two parts, east and west, was a symbol of the Cold War. Built by the East German government to prevent the East Germans flee to West Germany, most of it was demolished since the border between East and West was opened in 1989.
After the Second World War, Germany was divided into four zones: one American, British, French and Soviet. Berlin was also divided into four sectors. In 1948, Soviet authorities tried to annex the entire city and have started a blockade of the western sectors. But plans have failed due to sectors of air transport in West and May 1949 the blockade was lifted. In the same year the Soviet Germany became the GDR - German Democratic Republic with its capital in East Berlin. Other areas have become Germany - German Federal Republic with its capital at Bonn. The western part of Berlin has become an enclave surrounded by East Germany.
By 1961, Germans in East Germany could move freely between East Berlin and West until 1961 and up to 20,000 East Germans fleeing to West Berlin every month. August 12, 1961, East German authorities decided to close the border with western sectors of Berlin to prevent people to flee. Formally this measure was an anti-fascist protection barrier meant to protect East against West German aggression. The next day the measure on Aug. 13, West Berlin was surrounded by barbed wire. Border traffic was stopped and subway and train system that connects different parts of the city were dropped. Houses in the eastern border were evacuated and the windows overlooking the border have been built. Over time, barbed wire was replaced with a 3.6 meter high wall. Over the Wall, on the east side appeared "dead zone", an area controlled by guards. A total of 302 guard towers and 20 bunkers were built along the border of 155 km. The guards were ordered to fire on anyone trying to flee the communist camp. As a result 192 people were killed in their attempt to cross the border to the West.
Fall of Berlin Wall
After the Soviet president, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev visited West Germany in 1989, Hungary opened its borders to Austria. This allowed East Germans to migrate in mass to the west. Meanwhile, street protests have attracted more and more people put pressure on the government of the GDR. Finally on November 9, 1989, travel restrictions were lifted. Shortly after the border gates were opened and people were simply invaded West Berlin.
Most of the wall was knocked down by then, but some parts still remained standing. The known side of the wall is 1316 meters in length, called Gallery East. It is found between Warschauer Strasse and Ostbahnhof and contains 106 paintings. Other smaller parts of the wall can be found at the Memorial Center in Bernauer Strasse, the place where the official destruction of the Wall began at Potsdamer Platz, the Reichstag, Invaliedenfriedhof Bornholmer Strasse, Nieder-Strasse Kirchner and Zimmerstrasse near Checkpoint Charlie.
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