Rise of the Berlin Wall

          As the clocks rang midnight on the night of August 12^th, 1961, East German soldiers and construction workers began making their way to the border of East and West Berlin. Through the night, they quickly built a concrete barrier that kept East and West Berlin separated for 28 years. There have been infamous stories of children who slept at a friend's home in East Germany only to find no way home the next morning, trapped for another 28 years.

          The major parties involved in the rise of the Berlin Wall are West Germany and East Germany. These sides are influenced substantially by the Communist Soviet Union and Capitalist America. The Berlin wall is a significant part of the Cold War because it demonstrates and symbolizes the differences and difficulties between Communism and Democracy.

            After the War, living conditions in East and West Germany became distinctly different. West Germany set up a capitalist society and experienced major economic growth. The habitants of West Germany were able to work hard, live well, buy necessary tools and appliances, and travel as they wished. In East Germany, a Communist Society was established as it was under direct influence from the Soviet Union. The economy dragged and individual freedoms were severely violated. By the late 1950s, many East Germans wanted to move out of the repressive living conditions and downgrading economy. The East Germans lost 2.5 million people to emigration by 1961 and needed a way to stop the mass exodus. The rise of the Berlin Wall rose through the night on August 13^th. Whichever side you slept on that night, was the side you would spend the next 28 years of your life on.

         The results of the Berlin Wall are numerous. Many loved ones, families, and friends were separated for decades. The Berlin Wall broke up relationships, tore apart families, and destroyed relationships. Additionally, the Berlin Wall represented the separation of Eastern and Western Europe and the division of a democratic and communist land. In 1989, the Berlin Wall came down and numerous positive results occurred. The fall became recognized as a symbol for democracy, peace, and happiness. The fall of the Berlin wall also paved the way for the reunification of Germany.