Berlin Wall: History, construction, rise and fall of Germany’s ‘Iron Curtain’

On August 13, 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall began. On this day, 61 years ago, work on the 160km-long wall that divided West Berlin from East Berlin started. The Berlin wall was built on the border dividing West Berlin controlled by the allied powers and East Berlin that Soviet Russia controlled. It was constructed on the orders of then Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, who immediately succeeded Joseph Stalin after he passed away in 1953.

Although the Berlin wall initially was made of barbed wires and concrete, it was reinforced in the years that followed to strengthen the structure and make it more difficult for people to pass through without noticing. Notably, the 160km wall which reached a maximum height of 12 feet was completed in less than 15 days in August 1961. The wall effectively wrapped around West Berlin to isolate the Grand Alliance which included Great Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union before a Cold War began between the allies and Russia.

The construction of the wall meant that ordinary citizens were forbidden to cross over to the city, even for trade, leisure or even to meet friends and families. Only diplomats and personnel with special papers and permission were authorised to cross into either side. The wall remained heavily guarded for nearly 28 years before the start of the fall of the USSR which led to a more democratised society in the region. 

Yalta Conference and the turning of a tide in WWII

In 1945, when Germany’s forces started to show weakness following the entry of US troops, a conference was held in Yalta, near the Black Sea. It was decided then by the Allied Powers that once Germany unconditionally surrendered, it would be split into four zones to halt another possible unified rise again in the future. Out of the four zones, US, UK and France got three while the eastern camp was carved out for Soviet Russia.

Following the success of the Yalta conference and World War II’s completion, Germany was split up as suggested by Joseph Stalin under whose command Berlin conveniently fell. However, despite the treaty and Berlin falling under Russia’s control, US, France and UK occupied the western part of the city. The Soviets, unhappy with the allies, decided to blockade the city. The allied powers then began airlifting supplies to millions of people in the eastern front, which encouraged more people to leave east Berlin and cross over to the West’s camps.

This led to a mass exodus of young people who were highly skilled professionals leaving their homes behind for better jobs and a better life in West Berlin. West Berlin provided much better opportunities and quality of life, as it was run by capitalistic countries, while the East was under Soviet communism. The Soviets who did not want to rule over an empty city feared bad publicity for communism and also for the Soviet Union if people were leaving in large numbers. Therefore, Nikita Khrushchev ordered a wall to be built to separate the two sides of the city. It divided East Berlin from the West. Many workers were shipped all the way from Russia to build the wall and it was reportedly completed in two weeks in August 1961.

Why was the Berlin Wall taken down?

It was reported that in the 28 years the wall existed, over 5000 people successfully escaped and over 100 people lost their lives attempting to leave. There were strict orders to guard the wall and shoot trespassers on sight. In the 1980s, at the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union was undergoing enormous economic challenges and was unable to control such a massive empire while competing with the US in space, arms, and technology races.

The economy was stagnant in the Soviet Union and those countries it occupied. Moreover, the hierarchical government structure and the problems were too hyper-local to make any positive central changes. Mikhail Gorbachev, who was Russia’s leader then tried to save the Soviet Union by instituting additional reforms. However, by then, communism and the hold the Soviet Union had over Eastern Europe were getting weaker.

In the wake of these developments, the communist government of East Berlin made an announcement that they would grant free passage from East Berlin to the West at midnight of November 9, 1989. There were impromptu celebrations and a city-wide party began as the wall, which was a symbolic manifestation of an ‘Iron Curtain’ which was brought down by thousands of Germans who gathered and scaled the walls with hammers and chisels. The same night Berlin was reunified with the rest of the country and was crowned the capital of a unified Germany.

Does the Berlin Wall still exist?

Parts of the Berlin Wall still exist in Berlin today, on display at the Topography of Terror museum, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and the East Side Gallery. Some segments of the wall are also on display in museums all over the world.