The Berlin Wall was one of the most obvious monuments of the era of the Cold War. From 1961 to 1989, it worked as a physical barrier between the city of Berlin. In this article, we will discuss the length of the Berlin Wall, and look at some of its historical significance.
Berlin Wall Construction
On August 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall started to be built. It was built by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to prevent mass emigration of East Germans to West Germans. Concrete segments, barbed wire, watchtowers, and a ‘death strip’ complete with a clear line of sight for border guards, all made up the prison.
Length and Structure
The Berlin Wall was 155 kilometers (96 miles) long, total. The area encircled and cut off West Berlin from East Germany. The wall was of different structure along its length. In some locations it comprised a solitary concrete barrier, and in some other places several layers of barriers and fences. Politically selected guard towers were located every ten miles along its length to guard and manage any crossings.
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie was one of the most known, and heavily guarded, border crossings between East and West Berlin. Friedrichstrasse was where it was located and the symbol of the divided city. American and Soviet military men manned the checkpoint that acted as a gateway for diplomats, government officials and foreign tourists between East and West.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
After the protests and political changes in Eastern Europe, the Berlin Wall lost all its significance. When it was predetermined that the East German government would announce that its citizens could now cross the border, that was November 9, 1989. Widespread celebrations followed when the wall was torn down as Berliners from East and West approached each other to pull down the wall. The end of the Cold War era took place in Berlin Wall and was monumental in the process of creating the Weimar Republic.
Legacy and Remnants
Today, the Berlin wall is standing only of what once was. The East Side Gallery (also called Mauermuseum; approx. 1.3 km) over the River Spree is the last remaining piece of the Berlin wall. It becomes a open air gallery, using about 100 artworks painted on the wall by several artists. These are testimonies to the wall’s faith and the faith of freedom that the wall once had.
Conclusion
It was a physical and ideological divide that was — for the most part — kept alive for nearly three decades. The stretch was roughly 155 kilometers long, circling West Berlin as a reminder of the Cold War. By destroying a wall in 1989, Germany was reunited and a period of turbulence to history came to an end. Today, the rest of the wall has become a tangible cue to humanity’s quest for freedom and unity.