The Wall

The Berlin wall was constructed for economic and political reasons. Too many well-educated people moved from East Germany and some worked in West Berlin and lived in East Berlin, where the cost of living was less expensive. What was more problematic was the west side interfering with the Russians on the east side.

The vast majority of East Germans could not emigrate to West Germany. Many families were split, numerous individuals lost their jobs, and West Germany gradually grew more hostile. West Berliners demonstrated against the wall, especially their mayor, Willy Brant who criticized the United States for not taking action (Ultimately John F Kennedy would denounce the wall, but [as we discussed in my history 3090 course] the United States would get slammed on the world stage because of the tumultuous civil rights environment of the late 1950s and early 1960s).

Still, the East German government said the wall was a buffer against fascism. It seems like they were also concerned about the regular purchasing of out-sourced goods from West Germany. No matter what the more accurate or influential reasoning for the wall's construction, it would soon become accepted that it was there to prevent Germans from commuting from one side of the country to the other. Furthermore, although the wall was generally regulated peacefully, the use of guards and instances of citizens getting fired upon would make the wall a symbol of communist tyranny in West German media.

I find it interesting how West Germans regarded the wall, because I feel their side had most often been the aggressor in the years leading up to the construction of the wall. Also, I feel like the American government saw the wall was necessary in order to keep two radically different systems apart to keep peace.