After World War II, by 1949, growing cooperation among the Americans, British and French, and growing conflict between those three powers and Russia (Soviet Union) led to the creation of two German states, the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was formed from the American, English, and French zones of occupation, and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) from the Russian zone.

In 1961 the East German government, under communist rule, erected a wall through Berlin that physically separated East Germany from West Germany. The Berlin Wall became a symbol of oppressive and divisive government, not only to the East Germans it contained, but to the rest of the world as well. And it remained such a symbol for twenty-eight years until November 9, 1989, when the wall was finally torn down. On that day, the decades-long symbolism of oppression was immediately and dramatically transformed into one of peace, unification, democracy and hope.

For decades, the East German government had justified the Berlin Wall as an important security measure to protect its citizens. All former Nazis, the government claimed, had fled to West Germany where they were setting up a neo-fascist society with the support of western allies. This “anti-fascist protective wall,” as it was referred to by government propaganda, would make it impossible—or at least more difficult—for fascist terrorists and spies to enter the territory of East Germany. In reality, the wall was not a tool to protect East Germans from outside dangers, but rather one of oppression used by a government determined to stop its own citizens from fleeing to the West; citizens who were well aware of their diminishing personal and political rights and freedoms.

Arne Lietz, born and raised in East Germany, was a teenager when the wall came down. For him, the wall was “a terrible act of inhumanity.”

So many families and friends were divided for decades except for a few allowed visits. During this period, my parents were only able to visit the West a few times, and they were not permitted to bring along my sisters and me. There were a few times when family members and friends from the West visited, but the visits were very restricted.

I vividly remember how excited I was when the wall came down in 1989! It was the first time in my life that I could travel to the western part of my country and meet many family members I had never met before or had not seen for many years. My biggest joy was being able to visit my favorite cousin Stephan again who I had grown up with and whose family had left East Germany under hard conditions.¹ 

Looking at the wall from both sides tells a story of two very different societies. West Germans were irreverent in their treatment of the wall, and the western side of the wall was covered with graffiti. In contrast, military patrols, watchdogs and mines protected the eastern side of the wall. Many of those trying to flee East Germany were caught or shot to death. In all, more than 700 East Germans lost their lives at the wall, murdered only because they wished for a different life somewhere else.

The Berlin Wall became a physical manifestation of the Cold War. The collapse of the wall stands as a major turning point in the long struggle between Eastern Bloc countries led by the Soviet Union, and western European nations in alliance with the United States. In 1987 U.S. President Ronald Reagan traveled to West Germany and delivered a speech at the foot of the Berlin Wall:

We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty—the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate.

Mr. Gorbachev—Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!²

Just two years later, the wall would come down. Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev did not interfere as Eastern Bloc countries like Poland and Hungary became independent democracies. This movement towards democracy and change also took place in East Germany. It was only a matter of time before unification between East and West Germany would take place.

The ripples of this historic event were felt throughout the world. In the case of South Africa, for example, until this point, the apartheid government had been able to maintain its racist policies. Western Bloc nations acquiesced and supported South Africa’s government for fear that this strategic country could be lost to the Eastern Bloc. But once the Cold War was over and this was no longer a threat, the western world was able to become more critical towards the apartheid regime and exert more pressure, which became a key factor in bringing an end to that oppressive government policy.

Connections for the Classroom...

• Can you identify a wall in your own family, community or society? It could be a physical wall, like the Berlin Wall, made of concrete or metal, stones or bricks. Or it might be a "wall" in a figurative sense, such as a breakdown in communication between two groups of people. What are some of the effects that wall has had on your community or society? What do you think might happen if the wall were to come down?

• The German Historical Museum has an online exhibition on the Berlin Wall: http://www.dhm.de/ENGLISH/ausstellungen/breakthrough/breakthrough.htm.

• Ronald Reagan’s 1987 speech, including photos and an audio stream, are available at: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganbrandenburggate.htm.

• This CNN.com article from 1999 on the ten year anniversary of the tearing down of the Berlin Wall shows the complexity of transition and the mixed feelings of citizens in a reunified Germany: http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9911/09/wall.anniversary/.

¹ Arne Lietz. Personal correspondence with Facing History and Ourselves. 
² U.S. President Ronald Reagan. 1987 Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate. Source.