State of the Art: Berlin

State of the Art is a series introducing Germany as a whole, but also highlighting an individual state or “Bundesland” every month.

This month we’ll end our tour in the capital of Berlin with its Federal Parliament in the Reichstag and adjacent government facilities.

Berliners have always been accustomed to constant turns of the tide in environment and atmosphere and developed remarkable resilience, making it a unique metropolis worldwide.

Resilience par excellence

After having experienced an upswing in the early 1900s, roaring 1920s with innovations and a flair of “free and easy” living, the 1930s became a dramatic challenge. Living through war and finding themselves in a destructed and divided city, surviving a blockade and an airlift in the 1940s, the heroic “Trümmerfrauen“ (rubble women) of Berlin rolled up their sleeves and literally got their hands dirty clearing the debris.

After the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, both in 1949, East Berliners were challenged with living in a new Socialist governed country, while West Berliners found themselves geographically separated from the rest of the nation. The 1950s brought about both an economic boom in the West as well as protest and bloody retaliation from the East German and Soviet regime. By August 1961, West Berliners were forced to accept the fact that they were being enclosed by a 3-meter (9 foot) concrete wall, despite denial of the East German government of intending to build one.

A dramatic Sunday in August

The news Aug. 13, 1961, that a wall was being erected and West Berlin was being blocked off spread like a wildfire and led to indescribable chaos and frantic scenes. East Berliners that lived in buildings along the sector line jumped out of windows before they were bricked up, others grabbed a few belongings and scrambled to the nearest subway tunnels leading to the West. Some were courageous and tried to dodge armed border guards while jumping over barricades, while a small number managed to cut the barbed wire in Ebert Strasse and were able to flee.

Eight-hundred refugees, who had managed to find a “mouse hole” to flee, were recorded at the center in West Berlin that very afternoon. Later a few wealthier were able to “buy their way out,” and a large group of people swam through Teltow Canal to reach the West Aug. 14 and 15, while a number of East German guards also deserted. According to official records, at least 50 individuals lost their lives in the first few days. But by now, the situation was literally set in stone, or in concrete better to say.

The news also hit like a bomb in the Federal Republic and around the world where most countries condemned the hermetic seal around West Berlin but remained in a dormant state of action. The East German government claimed that the wall was meant to keep out the fascists of the West and secure the safety of East Germans.

On Dec. 1, the joint British, French and U.S. troops in Berlin were restructured and the Berlin Command was renamed U.S. Army Brigade Berlin with several installations and housing areas throughout the Western sector. The Armed Forces Network radio station had started broadcasting in 1945 and the U.S. Embassy remained in the Soviet sector with access via Checkpoint Charlie in Friedrich Strasse.

Ich bin ein Berliner

As time went on and additional concrete blocks were erected around West Berlin and along the inner German border, hundreds of East Germans attempted to flee in dramatic incidents and a party of four managed to bike over the frozen Baltic Sea and partially swim to freedom to a Danish Island in Dec. 1962.

In the summer of 1963 President John F. Kennedy visited the divided city and expressed his solidarity with Berliners. In his famous speech in front of the City Hall in Schöneberg he boldly declared, “Ich bin ein Berliner!”

Over the next few years the wall grew to reach a total length of 155 kilometers (96 miles), the gateways between the columns at Brandenburger Tor were also bricked up and the wall ran left and right of the gate. The East German government had reconstructed the Quadriga and re-assembled it, this time with the rear of the horses facing the West.

The subway route was both in the East and West, but after construction of the wall three lines started and ended in the West. The stations Stadtmitte, Nordbahnhof, Potsdamer Platz, Bernauer Strasse and Heinrich-Heine-Strasse lying in the East were closed and gradually turned into ghost stations, to prevent East Berliners from using these points as escape routes, while trains would slowly traverse West to West without stopping.

Originally a single row of concrete blocks, over time the structure was fortified with a parallel wall in some areas with a 100-meter space in between called the “death strip.” According to official records 101 persons were killed in attempts to overcome the border wall, while the number of individuals who attempted to flee, but were stopped and sent to prison is undetermined.

Peace movement in the Sixties

Both East and West Berliners gradually became accustomed to the new situation and made the best of their lives. Beatlemania and rock music swept over the western world, while the East German film industry experienced a renaissance.

The overall Peace movement and the Hippie era also shed its colorful and crazy light on West Berlin. Due to its special status, Berliners were exempt from the West German conscription and that brought many a draft dodger from elsewhere to the city. Overall, West Berlin again flourished with a lively music scene, drugs and rock ‘n roll and the city became well known for its “free and easy” spirit. Starting radio broadcast in 1945, AFN television aired its first show April 17, 1967.

On the other side of the wall, space was getting tight and new gray panel housing, consisting of large apartment blocks, sprung up with the government promising housing for all. The new radio tower at Alexanderplatz was opened 1969 and the area developed into East Berlin’s city center offering a state-run department store with a limited selection of goods and dim restaurants along the subway station.

Swinging Seventies

Berlin’s liberal lifestyle without any bar closing times at night, a colorful music and art scene and recreational areas such as Tierpark (a large park near Brandenburger Tor) and Wannsee beaches became popular places to spend leisure time. West Berlin was much larger in size than the Eastern section and thus, West Berliners didn’t necessarily feel cramped up. A type of sub-culture developed in the city, which also brought drug problems and related crime, in particular the area around Bahnhof Zoo, West Berlin’s central train station.

In March 1970, Federal Republic of Germany Chancellor Willi Brand met with Willi Stoph, Minister President of the German Democratic Republicy, in Erfurt. After negotiations in Moscow, West Germany finally accepted the inner German border agreement between itself and the Soviet Union.

In 1974 West Berlin opened its new Tegel Airport, making it easier to reach the city without lengthy border controls on trains or transit routes. This also brought scores of international travelers and guests to the city and led to even more lively and international flair in Berlin.

Meanwhile in East Berlin, as in the whole country, the East German government inspired its citizens to join the Socialist Unity Party (the only party) with the promise of certain benefits, such as free vacations, better living quarters and other “special arrangements” to keep its people content. With a planned economy, only certain products were always available and exotic fruits, such as bananas or oranges, were considered a luxury. There were long waiting periods for a car or a larger apartment after a family addition.

Universities were free and there was work for all, regardless of personal talent or desire, but most state-run companies had inhouse kindergartens and childcare, enabling women to work full time. Vacations along the Baltic Sea, Hungary or visits to East Bloc capitals became popular. Children were promoted and drilled in sports and the East German team won 66 medals in 16 disciplines during the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, only topped by the United States.

West wind in the Eighties

West Berlin continued to thrive and the Brandenburger Tor had meanwhile become an international symbol of separation. The fashion and music scenes were in full swing and this inspired famous music groups to perform in the city. Artists such as David Bowie, the Eurythmics and Genesis held concerts close to the wall in 1987, when hundreds of East German fans gathered on the other side of Brandenburger Tor to listen in. When pop star Michael Jackson gave a concert in 1987, the East German officials were so alarmed that they blocked off numerous streets around Brandenburger Tor and Barclay James Harvest had its most legendary performance with its “Concert for the People” in Aug. 1988 on the steps of the Reichstag building, which drew over 250,000 spectators and wind from the West carried the sound over the wall.

East wind in the Eighties

East Germans were very fond of classic music and Friedrichstadtpalast, a large concert and event hall was opened in April 1984 in pomp and glory. Ballet and dance groups were trained to perform for prestigious ensembles, such as the Bolshoi Theater in Russia. Music shows aired on the state television program and a separate genre of music developed throughout the country, inspired by the music of the West.

The Stasi (Staatssicherheit, National Security Authority) which had developed into a monstrous agency over the years put even tighter reins on its people. Many of the 16 million citizens were recruited to pass on information about critical statements from friends, neighbors, relatives or even spouses as “informal employees” (IMs) with the prospect of certain benefits, such as incentive trips to mighty Moscow. The Stasi had up to 189,000 IMs listed in records by 1989.

Life was becoming more difficult, the planned economy was failing its citizens with shortages everywhere, travel was limited, and East Germans became more discontent by the day.

On the other hand, there were courageous East Germans who handled matters in innovative ways. A family from Thüringen built a balloon and managed to cross the border in 1978. After 28 minutes the gas was exhausted and they had a bumpy but safe landing in Bavaria. The adventurous flight made it to Hollywood in a film called “Night Crossing” in 1982 when wind from the East carried the family to freedom.

Wind of change in 1989

It was business as usual in West Berlin, but East Germans were becoming more and more frustrated about the situation. Then a series of individual events led to a turn of the tide by the end of the year.

From 1980 to 1984 a total of 75,000 East Germans requested “exit applications” to reunite with relatives in the West. The East German government was so fed up with the numbers that they decided to let off steam by allowing 20,000 of these “uncomfortable subjects” to leave in 1984. Consequently, and inspiration to those weary, an additional 100,000 applications were received by 1987.

The Perestroika movement in the Soviet Union in the late 1980’s, widely associated with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, poured fuel into the fire while East Germans were crying for reform.

In short, in Aug. 1989, a large group of East Germans traveled to Prague in the Czech Republic, without intention of returning. By September 4,000 individuals had set up a tent camp on the grounds of the West German Embassy, increasing pressure on the East German government.

After negotiations with Soviet leaders, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, West German Foreign Minister, announced on the evening of Sep. 30 that the refugees were released to move on to West Germany. Soon after, the first trains rolled into Hof in northern Bavaria where they were cheered on by their West German counterparts. Two further waves occurred thereafter and by November 2,000 to 4,000 individuals left East Germany via the embassy in Prague per day.

Meanwhile in East Germany peaceful Monday demonstrations that had been ongoing since September, initiated at Nikolai Church in Leipzig, spread like a wildfire throughout the nation, including Berlin.  Hundreds of thousands of East Germans chanted “Wir sind das Volk!” (We are the people), reminding the already crumbling government of who they were governing and demanding change.

Upon increased internal and international pressure, the government caved in and on the evening of Nov. 9, 1989, Günter Schabowski, a prominent Party member, announced that the borders were open during an international press conference, after an Italian journalist had questioned him regarding the new travel law. The puzzled moderator asked as of when, with the surprising answer being “sofort” (immediately).

Astonished border guards at Bornholmer Strasse were instructed to lift the barriers as East Berliners flocked through to be greeted by West Berliners with champagne, flowers, hugs and tears of joy. The overall development inspired the German rock group Scorpions to write “Wind of Change” to later be performed at Brandenburger Tor for all Berliners to enjoy.

Berlin immediately began tearing down the wall, including the area around Brandenburger Tor. War-damaged buildings in the East were restored, countless construction projects started at once and Berlin quickly turned into one gigantic construction site, but as always, just a further obstacle to tackle…

State of the Art

We hope that you enjoyed our roughly 10,000-kilometer (6,250 mile) journey throughout Germany in zigzag lines. Whether by car, on horse-back, on trains or ships, in stagecoaches, walking or hiking, we were able to discover exciting places throughout the nation. Time travel took us back to the Neanderthals, the Celts, the Romans, the Middle Ages, the Romantic and Baroque eras, the Hanseatic League, kingdoms and their relics, the Cold War period, and the nation’s diversity. Our journey led us to beaches, mountains, historical cities, extensive forests and exciting landscapes. Given that Germany can fit into Alaska 4.8 times, this may have been an enjoyable learning experience which will inspire you to venture out on discoveries during your stay in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

Thanking our fabulous graphics expert Manuel for the wonderful layouts to illustrate the stories and you for being faithful travel companions.

If you missed out on any of the editions, see www.kaiserslauternamerican.com and search “State of the Art.” For information about your local community, search “Talk of the Town.”

Safe travels discovering Germany, Gina

Should you wish to send feedback, comment or have inspiration for further topics in the coming year, please share at email: gina.hutchins-inman.de@us.af.mil