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Berlin
truly epitomized the Cold War in Europe. This was where it all started with the blockade
of 1948, and where 40 years on it all came to an end. Two dates, one dramatic, the other a
joyful occasion, mark the high points; 13th August 1961, when the
Wall went up ; 9th November 1989, when it came down.
The Berlin problem already lay between the lines of the Interallied documents drawn up at the end of the Second World War. Under the terms of the agreements of 1944-1945 signed by the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain and France, the defeated Germany was divided up into four occupation zones overseen by four commanders-in-chief, who together formed the Control Council. Based in the former capital of the Reich. Also divided up into four sectors headed by four military governors gathered in the Kommandatura, this partitioning left Berlin (883 kmē / 340 sq. mi.) stranded in the midst of the Soviet zone, 180 kilometres (110 mi.) from the border with the western zones. This unusual geopolitical situation became difficult to handle once Interallied relations began to deteriorate.
October 20, 2004 at 10:59 PM in Berlin | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home