Berlin Wall 1986



tower at berlin wall

A typical part of the Berlin Wall, including a guard tower and “death strip.”

berlin wall

“Destroy the wall.” The wall had already been crumbling from within as more and more people from East Berlin and the former East Bloc fled to the West through neighboring countries and past the Iron Curtain.

berlin brandenburger gate

In West Berlin the Brandenburg Gate could only be seen from the back.

berlin wall
It was one ugly wall…

I went to see the wall in West Berlin with a few friends in 1986 – three years before it came down. It was built in 1961 by the East German Government to keep their residents in East Germany because people were defecting to the West. Much of the Wall was constructed with barbed wire, landmines and other ways to secure it and actively guarded 24/7. The East German government claimed it was built to ‘protect’ its citizens from the fascistic neighbor.

When it came down on November 9, 1989, I couldn’t believe it. It just shows you that things can and will change – eventually. The politicians may get the credit for bringing the wall down, but it was the people that were locked in that wore it down over the years with protest and steadfast resolve.

Happy 25th Fall of the Wall Anniversary, Germany!

For an interesting viewpoint on what exactly ended the Cold War and brought down the Wall, including an examination of four contradictory explanations from the U.S., China, Europe and Russia, read here.

 

you are leaving west berlin - sign

“Attention – You are now leaving West Berlin”

you are leaving the american sector - sign

“You are leaving the American Sector”

 


4 thoughts on “Berlin Wall 1986

  1. Mark Downey

    Oh yeah, the Brandenburg Gate and Checkpoint Charlie would’ve been where the hands of the clock were attached.

    Reply
  2. Kevin Krebs

    I am interested in the history of the Berlin Wall and notice that this “Leaving the American Sector” sign is in the English and German languages. Most of the signs I see are in English, French, Russian and German. Where did they install the signs that were only in English and German?

    Reply
    1. Marita Post author

      Hi Kevin, I’m not quite sure, but we spent a lot of time around Checkpoint Charlie and watched (and talked to) the occasional lone person crossing through there and I assume the sign was posted around there.

      Reply
    2. Mark Downey

      Berlin was divided into 4 sectors. Think of the numbers on a clock. Eastern Germany: 12-6, American: 6-8, French: 8-10, British: 10-12.
      Most German/English signs were found in the American or British sectors.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *