During that time period known as the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, the political relationship was at its most heated. It was a war of ideology, two sides claiming that the way they ran the political system was the one and only way it should be run. This gave the Cold War symbol of East and West Germany, as in dividing the world into a psychically warring East and West.

The Division of Germany

At the end of World War II in 1945, Germany was divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the victorious Allies: the United Kingdom, France and the United States, the Soviet Union; Security concerns led to Berlin, whose capital we were, to be divided into four zones, not just within the Soviet zone.

However, the Western Allies wanted to reconstruct a democratic Germany and the Soviet Union had something else in mind. Then came the time of communist spreading under the guidance of Joseph Stalin, who wanted to bring communism to East Germany, as to Eastern Europe in general.

The Rise of East Berlin

In 1949 the German Democratic Republic (GDR) was created out of the Soviet occupation zone that included East Berlin. It was a communist society heavily influenced by the Soviet variant. All aspects of life in East Germany were under tight control thanks to the Socialist Unity Party (SED) who were part of the ruling party.

Socialist Policies

Among other things, collectivization of agriculture and nationalization of industries were the socialist policies in which the GDR implemented. Major businesses were owned and controlled by the state and private enterprise [was] severely restricted. In addition the government also gave adequate priority to social welfare and gave considerable amounts in terms of healthcare, education and housing of its citizens.

Restricted Freedom

The SED, however, was pushing for a workers’ paradise, but reality looked quite different. East Germans had just limited freedom of speech, association and movement. Severe consequences were meted out to anyone who criticised the government, or tried to escape to West Germany.

The Berlin Wall

When the Berlin Wall was constructed back in 1961, it was put up to stop an ever increasing number of East Germans from emigrating to the West. The city of Berlin was physically and ideologically divided by a physical barrier which separated East Berlin from West Berlin.

Impact on East Berliners

The people of East Berlin were affected by the Berlin Wall. People were seperated from their families and trapped in a restrictive and oppressive regime. It symbolized the gap between communism and capitalism, and it stayed there for almost 30 years.

Life in East Berlin

But for a different East Berliner’s loyalty to the regime, living conditions were vastly different. For richer party members and high ranking officials privileges and further access to the best housing, goods and services became the norm. Of course, most of the population had shortages, rationing and access to consumer goods.

Nevertheless East Berliners resisted and learned to cope with the life under communism. Throughout the years, there have been underground movements, termed as dissident groups, that have raised awareness of human rights abuses and fought for change.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Peaceful demonstrations in East Germany in 1989 led the way to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Cold War ended shortly thereafter, with the GDR being abolished, as the result of the reunification of Germany.

Legacy and Lessons

Berlin was split right down the middle and it was damn hard done by. It is a lesson in the threat of political divisiveness and the value of freedom and democracy.

Berlin today is one capital, one city, loved in its past and aspiring to its future. The iconic remnants of the Berlin Wall still bear the scars of the Cold War, and now wall built thing (there’s no opposition: it was a wall, let’s just leave it there) is a powerful symbol of unity and freedom.

Understanding the history of East Berlin during the Cold War gives us a lot to understand about how ideologies have shaped the consequences of politics. This is a reminder that our freedoms are tied to democracy, human rights.