The Fall of the Berlin Wall - Research Paper Example

The fall of the Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall has often been regarded as a landmark in world history that brought out significant changes not only in Germany but also in whole Europe after the Second World War. Historical evidences clearly state that Berlin Wall parted Germany into two poles where people were forced to be separated from their relatives by suppressing their emotions and feelings. They were like strangers living in neighboring countries, devoid of their moral and legal rights that would allow them to unite with their relatives. This partition really caused for regarding them as discriminated and downtrodden people. There had been various attempts to explore the historical incidents that showed the way to the creation and the fall of the wall. Economical and political factors have played decisive roles in the fall as well as the making of the wall. Patrik Major (2010 p.23) has investigated the historical events during the fall of the Berlin Wall and rightly puts it as, “Existing accounts of the second Berlin crisis—starting with Khrushchev’s 1958 ultimatum and ending with the building of the Wall in 1961—have treated it primarily as an episode in international relations, the classic superpower confrontation of the European Cold War.” Many have regarded the creation of the Berlin Wall as a historical event that brought out severe changes in the social life of many western countries. The aim of this paper is to describe the historical event and explore the historical as well as the contemporary causes of the event. Furthermore, the paper is analyzing the different historical interpretations of this event and evaluating its positive and negative outcomes. When one analyses the fall of the Berlin Wall, one should also be aware of the factors led to the creation of the Wall. The website entitled: Why the Berlin wall was built (2000) finds out two major reasons for the building of the Wall, namely, Economical and Political. The Economic reason was, “Too many well-educated people moved from East Germany, and some worked in West Berlin and lived in East Berlin… so DDR lost money on this” The interference of the West Germany in the East side was the political reason for the building of the Wall (Why the Berlin wall was built 2000). The dominance of different countries in the different sectors of Berlin also has exerted decisive roles in the building of the Wall. But one of the prominent reasons for its building is the “brain drain” of the West Germany during the years 1954 -1960s. Historical records show that during these years ‘36,759 people with academic and professional qualifications, plus 11,705 students’ (Why the Berlin wall was built 2000) educated in East Germany worked for West Germany ultimately brought great loss to East as a new state in its recreation. The abuse of the educational system can also be included among the reasons for the building of the Wall. As education was free in East Germany, many used this opportunity and worked in West Germany where they could earn more money. The website; Why the Berlin wall was built (2000) exposes that “During the "cold war" of the 1950s and 1960s, the western countries used Berlin as a spy center - to spy on the Eastern block.” It adds that “As long as the border was open - they could also enter the Russian sector.” “The Berlin Wall was built in order to stop East German citizen from leaving the GDR” (Bimberg 2009 P.4). Thus the Wall was erected at the line of demarcation between the eastern sector of Berlin and the western sectors. By referring to the western news papers, Christin Bimberg (2009 P.10) observes, “low living standards were a main reason that so many East Germans crossed the border and stayed in West Germany.” This is quite evident when observing the attempts of the two governments, the East and the West to improve the living conditions of the people after the fall of the Wall. Historical records have identified many reasons for the creation of the Berlin wall that parted Germany into two dissections. Patrick Major (2010) investigates the underlying factors led to the erection of the wall and finds out that the wall became synonymous to the Cold War: Berlin Wall. Here the author moves away from the traditional way of the historians analysing the top-down approaches to Cold War politics and engaging in an attempt, intended to unveil the afflictions of the ordinary Germans. Furthermore, Major (2010) identifies the real factors caused for the mass fleeing of the Germans during the 1950s. The author has identified that the main causes include the deteriorating state of the communist rule and the desperate decision by Khrushchev and Ulbricht to build a wall along the Cold Wars frontline (Major 2010 p.23). Certain other factors like, the human rights movement against this edifice that ended with the fall of the wall in 1989 and how the wall moved from demolition into the realm of memory. Joeming W. Dunn’s (2008) book, The Fall of the Berlin Wall: The Cold War Ends also provides an image of the building and fall of the Wall. The book wades through the historical reasons that led to the creation as well as the destruction of the wall. It was the World War II that split Germany into East and West Germany. A wall was built separating the two sections, families, and a country. As a witness to the fall of the wall on November 9, 1989, the writer is capable of providing a graphic picture of it. The timeline given in the book says, “By the 1980s, the wall was as tall as 15 feet (5m) in some places. It extended 28 miles (45 miles) though Berlin. It also extended 75 miles (121 km) around west Berlin, separating it from the rest of East Germany” (Dunn, 2008 P.30). This book enables the readers to have a picture of the historical background of this incident and contemporary causes for this event. As the building of the Berlin Wall became the part of history, so also was its fall. The fall of the Wall brought significant changes in the East and the Western sectors of Germany marking the beginning of a new era. The words of Brian Williams are capable of providing the picture of the fall of the Wall when he sketches the incident as, “In 1989, crowds packed in the streets in Germany to cheer and sing when a shabby strip of concrete wall in the city of Berlin was hacked down” (Brian, 2009 p.11). The author is of the opinion that the fall of the wall has historical significance and it has marked ineffaceable inscriptions in history. The words of the author are quite notable when he writes, “The fall of the Berlin Wall also marked a turning point in the 20th-century history-the end of the Cold war in Europe” (Williams, 2009 p.11). Brain also identifies that the wall was erected in 1961 and remained long 28 years as a symbol of segregation, until people flocked it down in 1989. An analysis of the historical records had also revealed the emotional side of the incident where people could reaffirm their lost relationships. The fall of the Wall identified many notable incidents in Germany and in Europe. The website entitled: The fall of the Berlin Wall 1989 analyses the important occurrences in Germany after the fall of the wall. Here the author writes, “The Fall of the Berlin Wall, which will always be used as a symbol for the end of the Cold War, made the "West" available in the middle of the "East", resulting in widespread chaos” (The fall of the Berlin Wall 1989). These words clearly depict the importance of the fall of the Wall which opened a new realm and new era in history. It purports that the fall of the Wall was to a certain extent helpful to put an end to the antagonism among the European powers. The words of Bernstein is quite noteworthy when said, “The fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent unification of East and west Germany a year later represent the “happy ending” to a century that was marked by two bloody wars, the short-lived experiment of the Weimar Republic, the 12 years of Nazi dictatorship and the painful separation of Germany into democratic West Germany and communist East Germany” (Bernstein 2004 p.13). These words bring to light the reality that the fall of Berlin Wall has obviously brought considerable changes in European scenario. Another perception regarding the Berlin Wall was that it was a Wall between democracy and communism. Jennifer Rosenberg (2010) makes it apparent when he acknowledged the former comment. According to him, “The Berlin Wall was the physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. However, it was the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War” (Rosenberg, 2010). The article makes an overview of the Berlin wall under various headings. The author is of the view that the wall had divided Germany into two nations and it was also a medium of the authorities aimed to reduce the large number of migration from East Germany to West Germany. This website has also described certain physical features of the wall. One can also see Eckhard Bernstein supporting this viewpoint in his book, Culture and customs of Germany. For the author, November 9, 1989 was a memorable ‘day of the Germans because, it was the day when the Berlin Wall, that infamous structure that for almost 30 years separated East from West Berlin was opened’ (Bernstein 2004 p.13). The author has also revealed that the fall of the Wall helped for reducing the pain and anguish that inflicted on millions of the people in Germany. Walter Moper (Bernstein 2004 p.13) West Berlin’s mayor words, “Today the Germans are the happiest people on earth!” itself is sufficient to exhort the terrific influence of the wall on German people. Various studies conducted overtime have exposed that the positive as well as the negative outcomes of this event. Regarding this one can infer that the building and the fall of the wall has caused for more negative outcomes, though the factors like the growth of the East Germany is not negotiable. The positive outcomes of the building of the Wall include the prevention of the illegal immigrants and the “brain drain” process. It could also prevent other western countries spying over the East Germany. One of the severe negative out of the building of the Wall was that it separated the people from their closed ones demarcating them physically and mentally. But one can see that it is the fall of the Wall caused for the so called German Democratic Republic (Prybyla 2005 p.88). The website, “History of the Berlin Wall” is a historical study of this incident. It evaluates the past and present state of the Berlin Wall under various headings. This site enables the readers to understand the reasons for the creation and destruction of the wall. The website says under the title: The Berlin Wall today, “The Germans are thorough people. The Wall was completely removed and there are only a few parts which can still be found. One of the most asked question is: "Where is the Wall?" (History of the Berlin Wall, n. d) evidently depicts the attitude of the Germans to the wall that the always wished to crush it no stone left on another. Jeremi Suri makes a clear assessment of the whole event when wrote thus, “The building of the Berlin Wall symbolised the hardening of the Cold War in 1961: the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of communism in Eastern Europe and the re-emergence of a united Germany (Suri 2010 p.191).” This comment provides an overall view of the building as well as the fall of the Wall and the social conditions prevailed before and after this event. To conclude, one can infer that the fall of the Berlin Wall is an incident that paved the way for various discussions overtime among the historians. The wide popularity that the event achieved through exhorts its importance. The fall of the Berlin Wall invited world attention through the media when media were comparatively less in number. Regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall, one can see that the broad cast of this incident was one of the first instances when history was produced on television. It is common knowledge that the building and fall of the Wall created sensations. While reading through the historical texts, one can see that the building of the Wall put an end to the Cold War and opened the way of the West to the East Germany. Many regard this wall as a wall between democracy and communism—between the communist East and the capitalist West. It has also been portrayed as a frustrated symbol of the Cold War. This wall really imprisoned the people of Germany that they were denied of their moral and legal rights. The study has also proved the economical and political reasons for the creation of the Wall, which has often been referred as false judgements from the part of the authorities during that time. The people during that time were unhappy and have strongly expressed their dissatisfaction with the political and economical situations. The fall of the Berlin Wall also has forced the East German government to give into certain demands of the people such as freedom to travel. All these factors lead to the conclusion that the fall of the Wall had a great impact in German history and the lives of the people during and after this period and the same gave birth to the present German Democratic Republic. Annotated Bibliography: Bimberg, Christin. (2009). That Glitters is Not Gold - The Impact of Frustrated Consumerism on German Reunification. GRIN Verlag. The book shares the concept of nationalism after World War II. It proclaims that after the World War II, in Germany, nationalism was really a complicated subject. The prominent reasons for the denial of nationalism were the despotic rule of Hitler and the division of Germany into two with the creation of the Berlin Wall. This book can be regarded as a comprehensive treatise exploring the harms of nationalism. Bernstein, Eckhard, (2004). Culture and customs of Germany. Greenwood Publishing Group. This book explores the German way of life in an historical context. The author provides a clear picture of the East Germany and discusses the immigrant population and its effects on the national image. It can be used as a reference guide for the students who are interested in German history, especially German past and present. Various Photos, a chronology, and a glossary provide the readers a better reading experience. Dunn W. Joeming (2008). The Fall of the Berlin Wall: The Cold War Ends. Illustrated ed., ABDO. Dunn makes a clear assessment about the fall of the Berlin Wall in this book. The book wades through the historical reasons that led to the creation as well as the destruction of the wall. It was the World War II that split Germany into East and West Germany. A wall was built separating the two sections, families, and a country. As a witness to the fall of the wall on November 9, 1989, the writer is capable of providing a graphic picture of it. Reads are brought out various maps, timelines, glossaries, and indexes which makes it an integral material for the present study. The timeline given in the book says, “By the 1980s, the wall was as tall as 15 feet (5m) in some places. It extended 28 miles (45 miles) though Berlin. It also extended 75 miles (121 km) around west Berlin, separating it from the rest of East Germany” (Dunn, 2008 P.30). This book enables the readers to have a picture of the historical background of this incident and contemporary causes for this event. History of the Berlin Wall. (n. d). Berlin Wall Online. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://www.dailysoft.com/berlinwall/history/index.htm>. The website, “History of the Berlin Wall” is a historical study of this incident. It evaluates the past and present state of the Berlin Wall under various headings. This site enables the readers to understand the reasons for the creation and destruction of the wall. The website says under the title: The Berlin Wall today, “The Germans are thorough people. The Wall was completely removed and there are only a few parts which can still be found. One of the most asked question is: "Where is the Wall?" (History of the Berlin Wall, n. d.). Manghani, Sunil. (2008). Image critique & the fall of the Berlin Wall. Illustrated ed., Intellect Books. The fall of the Berlin Wall invited world attention through the media when media were comparatively less in number. Regarding the fall of the Berlin Wall, one can see that the broad cast of this incident was one of the first instances when history was produced on television. The book can be described as a scholarly book in which the author adeptly anchors his insights in close engagements with images, most notably images from the event of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Though the book is the study of images, one can infer that it also focuses on certain other aspects concerning the fall of the Berlin Wall. Major, Patrick. (2010). Behind the Berlin Wall: East Germany and the Frontiers of Power. Illustrated edition, Oxford University Press. Historical records have identified many reasons for the creation of the Berlin wall that parted Germany into two divisions. Patrick Major (2010) explores the underlying factors led to the erection of the wall and finds out that the wall became synonymous to the Cold War: Berlin Wall. Here the author moves away from the traditional way of the historians analysing the top-down approaches to Cold War politics and engaging in an attempt, intended to unveil the afflictions of the ordinary Germans. Furthermore, Major (2010) identifies the real factors caused for the mass fleeing of the Germans during the 1950s. The author has identified that the main causes include the deteriorating state of the communist rule and the desperate decision by Khrushchev and Ulbricht to build a wall along the Cold Wars frontline (Major 2010 p.23). Certain other factors like, the human rights movement against this edifice that ended with the fall of the wall in 1989 and how the wall moved from demolition into the realm of memory. Prybyla S. J. (2005). The American way of peace: an interpretation. University of Missouri Press The book "Traces the development and implementation of Pax Americana, the American way of peace, from World War II to the war on terrorism and the Iraqi conflict. Examines the extent to which modernization must incorporate values of democracy and rule of law". Ramm, Frederik. (2005). The Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://www.remote.org/frederik/culture/berlin/> The website entitled: The fall of the Berlin Wall 1989, analyses the important occurrences in Germany after the fall of the wall. Here the author writes, “The Fall of the Berlin Wall, which will always be used as a symbol for the end of the Cold War, made the "West" available in the middle of the "East", resulting in widespread chaos” (The fall of the Berlin Wall 1989). This is a personal note of an author who witnessed the whole incident, and as such, it will be an added advantage for the study of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Rosenberg, Jennifer (2010). The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall. About.com Guide. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://history1900s.about.com/od/coldwa1/a/berlinwall.htm> In this article, the author portrays the historical Importance of the Berlin Wall. According to him, “The Berlin Wall was the physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. However, it was also the symbolic boundary between democracy and Communism during the Cold War” (Rosenberg, 2010). The article makes an overview of the Berlin wall under various headings. The author is of the view that the wall had divided Germany into two nations and it was also a medium of the authorities aimed to reduce the large number of migration from East Germany to West Germany. This website has also described certain physical features of the wall. Suri, Jeremi (2010). American Foreign Relations Since 1898: A Documentary Reader. Illustrated ed., John Wiley and Sons. The author has designed this book as providing sufficient details regarding the foreign policy of America. This is done with 50 documents and examining ‘foreign policy not only in terms of leaders and states, but also through social movements, cultures, ideas, and images, to provide comprehensive understanding of how Americans have interacted with the wider world since 1898 (About the book).’ Williams, Brian (2009). The Fall of the Berlin Wall. Illustrated ed., Cherrytree Books. Brian William’s book, The Fall of the Berlin Wall explores the key dates in history. It is an evaluation about the incidents occurred during that day and the consequences of that event. The author has arranged the topic under different titles which help the readers to understand the real story in a crisp. The fast-paced style and colour and black and white photos, map and timeline, etc., are providing an exact image of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The narrative style of the book is so excellent that one feels it equally useful as high interest / low reading level books. The perfect quick read introductions to the dramatic events provide a delightful reading experience. The author begins the book in a catchy way by referring to celebration of the people at the fall of the wall which was dividing them for a long time. The author sketches the incident as, “In 1989, crowds packed in the streets in Germany to cheer and sing when a shabby strip of concrete wall in the city of Berlin was hacked down” (Williams, 2009 p.11). The author is of the opinion that the fall of the wall has historical significance and it has marked indelible marks in history. The words of the author are notable when he writes, “The fall of the Berlin Wall also marked a turning point in the 20th-century history-the end of the Cold war in Europe” (Williams, 2009 p.11). Brain also identifies that the wall was erected in 1961 and remained long 28 years as a symbol of segregation, until people flocked it down in 1989. The emotional side of the incident also has explained in the book. While reading through the book, one feels that this book is sufficient enough to gather details regarding the fall of the Berlin wall. Reference List: Bimberg, Christin. (2009). That Glitters is Not Gold - The Impact of Frustrated Consumerism on German Reunification. GRIN Verlag. Bernstein, Eckhard, (2004). Culture and customs of Germany. Greenwood Publishing Group. Dunn W. Joeming (2008). The Fall of the Berlin Wall: The Cold War Ends. Illustrated ed., ABDO History of the Berlin Wall. (n. d). Berlin Wall Online. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://www.dailysoft.com/berlinwall/history/index.htm>. Manghani, Sunil. (2008). Image critique & the fall of the Berlin Wall. Illustrated ed., Intellect Books. Major, Patrick. (2010). Behind the Berlin Wall: East Germany and the Frontiers of Power. Illustrated edition, Oxford University Press. Prybyla S. J. (2005). The American way of peace: an interpretation. University of Missouri Press Ramm, Frederik. (2005). The Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://www.remote.org/frederik/culture/berlin/> Rosenberg, Jennifer (2010). The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall. About.com Guide. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from < http://history1900s.about.com/od/coldwa1/a/berlinwall.htm> Suri, Jeremi (2010). American Foreign Relations Since 1898: A Documentary Reader. Illustrated ed., John Wiley and Sons. Williams, Brian (2009). The Fall of the Berlin Wall. Illustrated ed., Cherrytree Books. Why the Berlin wall was built (2000). erliner-Mauer. Retrieved 30 Sep.2010 from http://www.berlinermauer.se/BerlinWall/bygg.htm   Read More