Germany

The Berlin Wall

There are many fantastic things to see and do in Berlin but from fairytale forests and castles to magnificent gothic cathedrals. But if you want to see a real important monument to Germany, a testament to the strength and will power of people and that is the Berlin Wall. 

The Berlin wall was erected in 1961 to stop people from migrating from East Berlin to West Berlin. It was also erected to apparently stop the people of East Berlin in making a socialist state, since the east was a communist state controlled by Russia at the time

The Berlin Wall also known at the time as the "Anti-Fascist Protective Wall" by people living in West Berlin who also called the people that were residents in the east side. It measured at around one hundred and fifty kilometres long and three point six metres tall at places. The walls were made of concrete and it took just months to create the basis of the wall and some time later they began to improve the chain fences and concrete wall.

By August of 1989, tens of thousands of people were trying to leave East Berlin. This set off a chain of events causing protesting from both political sides. After much pressure from the government, Günter Schabowski, the party leader in East Berlin began to hold meetings discussing the rising issue; on November 9th he finally agreed upon and told the public that the border would be taken down

 

On June 1990, the East Berlin military started to take down parts of the wall in different city districts.

There are still some parts of the wall still standing today and are covered in wonderful artwork.

To watch a video commemorating the anniversary of the click here :https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3A1962-08-16_The_Wall.ogv

Photo credit: German Language Wikipedia

Video Credit: Production Company University Studios