The Fall of the Berlin Wall – Twenty Five Years Ago this Weekend
Following World War II, tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union intensified. In 1949 Great Britain, France, and the United States unified their individual occupied zones of Germany into the Democratic Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany).
The fourth portion remained under the Soviet Union’s control and became known as the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
After years of contention the Soviet Union began constructing a permanent wall on August 13, 1961 which split East from West Germany, therefore dividing the city of Berlin in half.
The abrupt stop of all commerce and travel between East and West Berlin resulted in separated families and prevented Western influence from penetrating the Iron Curtain.
The Berlin Wall stood for 28 years isolating the Soviet Union from Europe, thus becoming a symbol of communist rule while it stood and one of freedom when it was torn down.
Catch up on your history of the Berlin Wall here.
-from the Bush Library
