Where is the Berlin Wall Located?

Berlin Wall was a series of concrete walls built during the Cold War dividing East and West Berlin and the surrounded whole of West Berlin denying entry from either of the sides situated in East Germany. It was demolished by the 1989-fall, well the fragments of the wall still exist in the Topography of Terror Museum in Berlin, Germany.

The Wall was more than just a geographical divider, it separated millions of people, which means many families, and friends were unable to visit each other. There was a major Job-loss in East Berlin and approximately 2 dozen of people died along the border with West Berlin in the first 10 weeks of the walls’ establishment.

It had a great impact on Cold War too and prevented the further influence of the West Side on the East side and became the most iconic image of the Cold War.

Wall’s Establishment

On 12th June 1961, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) State Council Chairman, Walter Ulbricht, while attending a garden party at Government Greenhouse in Döllnsee, signed the order to seize the border and establish the Wall.

The border was closed by midnight and by the next morning, 13th August 1961, began the construction of one of the world’s most remembered Walls – The Berlin Wall. At its initial stage, there were only fences and barbed wires which started finalized by 17th August 1961 with proper concrete finishing, installment of additional obstacles, and traps were carried afterward. Moreover, the order was passed to shoot down the fleeing refugees, if found.

Berlin Wall – Impact

After the closure of the East-West border in Berlin. The huge amount of population could not travel from East Germany to West Germany. While once the same Berlin was an easy pass-through for people traveling across East to West Germany, now turned into the most difficult one. Families and friends were separated. These people were controlled by their political leaders same as in the movie ‘What happened to Monday’.

People from East Berlin carrying out their jobs in West Berlin were dethroned, because if you are not a sheep from our herd then there is no chance you are feeding on our grass :).

Berlin Wall – Structure

The Berlin Wall was approximately 87 miles long. By the 1962-Mid, a parallel fence line popularly known as the “Hinterland” wall was established 110 yards farther into the East German territory. The residences between the newly built fence line and already standing wall were demolished and the people residing were relocated. Thus, establishing what later came to be known as the “death strip”.

The death strip was shielded with raked sand, making footprints easily noticeable that making it easy to know of any trespassers. Above all, it gave clear fields of fire for the wall guards.

Throughout the time the Wall went through multiple up-gradations, the fragments of the Berlin Wall, which still exist, are from its latest version, The Grenzmauer 75, it was the fourth-generation wall and definitely the most polished one, completed in 1980 C.

Berlin Wall – The Fall

With the increasing economic crisis and the failure of the USSR’s initiative to intervene in relation to the individual communist states, came the loosening up of a series of threads one-by-one. Which further bred the end of the Soviet Union. Well, the end-blast result came, thanks to the events that took place in the late-80s. Started with:- 

• The fall of Poland’s Parliamentary Elections, 1989.
• Then the surprisingly opening of the Austria-Hungarian border gate on 19th August 1989, which led to the fleeing of more than 10 thousand of East Germans to the West via Hungary, the government stopped any further travel and allowed those who already fled to return.
• This event ignited a similar one in Czechoslovakia but this time the government allowed travel but only by train.
• Following came the mass demonstrations throughout East Germany, protestors were repeating “we want out!”, “We are staying here!” which was the starting of the “peaceful revolution” of late 1989. This is similar to Satyagraha Movement by Mahatma Gandhi.

The number of refugees fleeing from East to West kept on mounting. By November, they started reaching Hungary through either Czechoslovakia or through the West German Embassy in Prague. The newly came Krenz government was tolerating this havoc.

However, it was already too late for the movement to be tamed so to control it on 9th November 1989, the government allowed the pass-throughs for the refugees including the Berlin border. Later, at night the same day, Günter Schabowski while attending a press conference announcing the changes, which included the official opening of the border including the East-West Berlin border. As soon as the words went out, they spread throughout the country. On the evening of the same day, people started gathering at the Wall with hammers and chisels and swarmed through the Wall.

Finally, after a long time of hatred was brought to an end and the new wave held with new hopes blew everywhere across the country. Families once separated were united again. Now they could foresee a new future, a bright and better one.

FAQs – Where is the Berlin Wall Located?

Where was the Berlin Wall located exactly?

It was 155 kilometer long Berlin Wall, which cut through the middle of the city center. West Berlin was totally surrouned by this.

Where is the Berlin Wall today?

Berlin Wall is totally demolished at the end of Cold War.

Was Berlin in East Germany or West Germany?

The City of Berlin, located 200 miles inside East Germany. Once upon a time whole Berlin city was divided.

What country did the Berlin Wall fall?

In Germany. Gorbachev resigned and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic dissolved.

Who built Berlin Wall?

The Berlin Wall was built by the German Democratic Republic during the Cold War to prevent its population from escaping Soviet-controlled East Berlin to West Berlin.