In the early hours of August 13, 1961, East German construction workers flanked by soldiers and police began tearing up streets and erecting barriers throughout the city of Berlin and its surroundings. That night marked the beginning of one of history’s most infamous dividing lines, the Berlin Wall. Construction on the wall continued for the next decade as it cut through neighborhoods, separated families, and divided not just Germany, but the world.
To understand how we got to this point, we have to go back to World War II. America, Britain, and France joined forces with the Soviet Union against the Axis Powers. After they defeated Nazi Germany, each of the victorious nations occupied part of the country. The division was meant to be temporary, but the former allies found themselves at odds over their visions for post-war Europe. While Western powers promoted liberal market economies, the Soviet Union sought to surround itself with obedient Communist nations, including a weakened Germany.
As their relations deteriorated, the Federal Republic of Germany was formed in the West while the Soviets established the German Democratic Republic in the East. The Soviet satellite countries restricted Western trade and movement, so a virtually impassable border formed. It became known as the Iron Curtain.
In the former German capital of Berlin, things were particularly complicated. Although the city lay fully within the East German territory of the GDR, the post-war agreement gave the allies joint administration. So America, Britain, and France created a Democratic enclave in Berlin’s western districts. While East Germans were officially banned from leaving the country, in Berlin, it was simply a matter of walking, or riding a subway, streetcar or bus, to the Western half, then traveling on to West Germany or beyond.
This open border posed a problem for the East German leadership. They had staked a claim to represent the Communist resistance against Hitler and portrayed Western Germany as a continuation of the Nazi regime. While the U.S. and its allies poured money into West Germany’s reconstruction, the Soviet Union extracted resources from the East as war reparations, making its planned economy even less competitive.
Life in East Germany passed under the watchful eye of the Stasi, the secret police whose wiretaps and informants monitored citizens for any hint of disloyalty.
While there was free health care and education in the East, the West boasted higher salaries, more consumer goods, and greater personal freedom. By 1961, about 3.5 million people, nearly 20% of the East German population, had left, including many young professionals. To prevent further losses, East Germany decided to close the border, and that’s where the Berlin Wall came in.
Extending for 43 kilometers through Berlin, and a further 112 through East Germany, the initial barrier consisted of barbed wire and mesh fencing. Some Berliners escaped by jumping over the wire or leaving from windows, but as the wall expanded, this became more difficult. By 1965, 106 kilometers of 3.6-meter-high concrete barricades had been added topped with a smooth pipe to prevent climbing.
Over the coming years, the barrier was strengthened with spike strips, guard dogs, and even landmines, along with 302 watchtowers and 20 bunkers. A parallel fence in the rear set off a 100-meter area called the death strip. There, all buildings were demolished and the ground covered with sand to provide a clear line of sight for the hundreds of guards ordered to shoot anyone attempting to cross.
Nevertheless, nearly 5,000 people in total managed to flee East Germany between 1961 and 1989. Some were diplomats or athletes who defected while abroad, but others were ordinary citizens who dug tunnels, swam across canals, flew hot air balloons, or even crashed a stolen tank through the wall. Yet the risk was great. Over 138 people died while attempting escape. Some shot in full view of West Germans powerless to help them. The wall stabilized East Germany’s economy by preventing its work force from leaving, but tarnished its reputation, becoming a global symbol of Communist repression.
As part of reconciliation with the East, the Basic Treaty of 1972 recognized East Germany pragmatically while West Germany retained its hope for eventual reunification. Although the Eastern regime gradually allowed family visits, it tried to discourage people from exercising these rights with an arduous bureaucratic process and high fees. Nonetheless, it was still overwhelmed by applications.
By the end of the 1980s, the liberalization of other Eastern Bloc regimes caused mass demonstrations for free travel and demands for democracy. On the evening of November 9, 1989, East Germany tried to defuse tension by making travel permits easier to obtain. But the announcement brought thousands of East Berliners to the border crossing points in the wall, forcing the surprised guards to open the gates immediately.
Rejoicing crowds poured into West Berlin as people from both sides danced atop the wall. And others began to demolish it with whatever tools they could find. Although the border guards initially tried to maintain order, it was soon clear that the years of division were at an end. After four decades, Germany was officially reunified in October 1990. And the Soviet Union fell soon after.
Today, parts of the wall still stand as a reminder that any barriers we put up to impede freedom, we can also break down.
WORD BANK: construction worker (n): công nhân xây dựng flank /flæŋk/ (v): bao quanh, kèm (quân sự) soldier /ˈsəʊl.dʒər/ [B1] (n): binh lính tear sth up (PhrV): phá hủy cái gì erect /ɪˈrekt/ (v): xây dựng barrier /ˈbær.i.ər/ [B2] (n): rào chắn mark /mɑːk/ (v): đánh dấu infamous /ˈɪn.fə.məs/ (adj): tai tiếng join/combine forces [C2] (phrase): hợp lực the Soviet Union /ˌsəʊ.vi.ət ˈjuː.nj.ən/ (n): Liên Xô Axis Powers /ˈæk.sɪs paʊ.əz/ (n): Phe Trục Nazi Germany (n): Đức Quốc xã victorious /vɪkˈtɔː.ri.əs/ (adj): chiến thắng occupy /ˈɒk.jə.paɪ/ [C1] (v): chiếm temporary /ˈtem.pər.ər.i/ [B1] (adj): tạm thời ally /ˈæl.aɪ/ [C2] (n): đồng minh at odds (with sb/sth) (idiom): trong tình trạng mâu thuẫn với ai/cái gì power /paʊər/ [C1] (n): cường quốc promote /prəˈməʊt/ [B2] (v): đẩy mạnh liberal market economy (n): nền kinh tế thị trường thị do seek to do sth (PhrV): nỗ lực làm gì obedient /əˈbiː.di.ənt/ (adj): nghe lời Communist /ˈkɒm.jə.nɪst/ (adj): Cộng sản weaken /ˈwiː.kən/ [C1] (v): yếu đi deteriorate /dɪˈtɪə.ri.ə.reɪt/ [C1] (v): làm cho xấu đi Federal Republic of Germany (n): Cộng hòa Liên bang Đức establish /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ/ [B2] (v): thành lập German Democratic Republic (n): Cộng hòa Dân chủ Đức satellite country (n): quốc gia vệ tinh restrict /rɪˈstrɪkt/ [C1] (v): hạn chế virtually /ˈvɜː.tʃu.ə.li/ [B2] (adv): gần như impassable /ɪmˈpɑː.sə.bəl/ (adj): không thể vượt qua Iron Curtain (n): Bức màn Sắt complicated /ˈkɒm.plɪ.keɪ.tɪd/ [B1] (adj): phức tạp territory /ˈter.ɪ.tər.i/ [B2] (n): lãnh thổ agreement /əˈɡriː.mənt/ [B2] (n): thỏa thuận joint /dʒɔɪnt/ [B2] (adj): chung administration /ədˌmɪn.ɪˈstreɪ.ʃən/ [C2] (n): sự quản lý enclave /ˈeŋ.kleɪv/ (n): vùng đất bị bao quanh bởi nhiều vùng đất khác district /ˈdɪs.trɪkt/ [B1] (n): quận pose a problem (collo): đặt ra vấn đề the leadership /ˈliː.də.ʃɪp/ [C1] (n): giới lãnh đạo stake a claim (to sth) (idiom): tuyên bố mình có quyền với cái gì represent /ˌrep.rɪˈzent/ [C2] (v): đại diện resistance /rɪˈzɪs.təns/ [C2] (n): cuộc kháng chiến portray /pɔːˈtreɪ/ [C2] (v): miêu tả regime /reɪˈʒiːm/ [C2] (n): chế độ reconstruction /ˌriː.kənˈstrʌk.ʃən/ [C1] (n): sự tái thiết extract /ɪkˈstrækt/ [B2] (v): khai thác, chiết resource /rɪˈzɔːs/ [B2] (n): tài nguyên reparations (n): bồi thường thiệt hại chiến tranh (vì thua trận) planned economy /ˌplænd ɪˈkɒn.ə.mi/ (n): nền kinh tế kế hoạch competitive /kəmˈpet.ɪ.tɪv/ [B2] (adj): cạnh tranh watchful /ˈwɒtʃ.fəl/ (adj): cảnh giác, đề phòng eye /aɪ/ (n): sự giám sát wiretap/ˈwaɪə.tæp/ (n): máy nghe lén informant /ɪnˈfɔː.mənt/ (n): người cung cấp thông tin monitor /ˈmɒn.ɪ.tər/ [C1] (v): giám sát boast /bəʊst/ [B2] (v): tự hào, khoe khoang disloyalty /ˌdɪsˈlɔɪ.əl.ti/ (n): sự không trung thực initial /ɪˈnɪʃ.əl/ [B2] (adj): ban đầu barbed wire /ˌbɑːbd ˈwaɪər/ (n): dây thép gai escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ [B1] (v): trốn thoát expand /ɪkˈspænd/ [B2] (v): mở rộng concrete /ˈkɒŋ.kriːt/ [B2] (n): bê tông barricade /ˈbær.ɪ.keɪd/ (n): hàng rào, chướng ngại vật spike /spaɪk/ (n): gai (dây thép) strip /strɪp/ [C1] (n): dải (đất…) landmine /ˈlænd.maɪn/ (n): mìn đất watchtower /ˈwɒtʃˌtaʊər/ (n): tháp quan sát bunker /ˈbʌŋ.kər/ (n): hầm trú ẩn parallel /ˈpær.ə.lel/ (adj): song song the rear /rɪər/ [C1] (n): phía sau set sth off [C2] (PhrV): tạo ra, gây ra demolish /dɪˈmɒl.ɪʃ/ [B2] (v): phá hủy order /ˈɔː.dər/ [B2] (v): ra lệnh attempt to do sth (PhrV): cố gắng làm gì nevertheless /ˌnev.ə.ðəˈles/ [B2] (adv): dẫu vậy manage to do sth (PhrV): thành công làm điều gì flee /fliː/ [C1] (v): trốn chạy diplomat /ˈdɪp.lə.mæt/ [B2] (n): nhà ngoại giao athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/ [B1] (n): vận động viên defect /ˈdiː.fekt/ (v): đào tẩu ordinary /ˈɔː.dən.əri/ [B1] (adj): thường in full view (phrase): được trông thấy bởi người khác stabilize /ˈsteɪ.bəl.aɪz/ (v): ổn định work force (n): lực lượng lao động tarnish /ˈtɑː.nɪʃ/ (v): làm tổn hại reputation /ˌrep.jəˈteɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): danh tiếng repression /rɪˈpreʃ.ən/ (n): sự đàn áp reconciliation /ˌrek.ənˌsɪl.iˈeɪ.ʃən/ (n): sự hòa giải treaty /ˈtriː.ti/ [C2] (n): hiệp ước recognize /ˈrek.əɡ.naɪz/ [B2] (v): công nhận pragmatically /præɡˈmæt.ɪ.kəl.i/ (adv): thực tế retain hope (collo): nuôi hy vọng eventual /ɪˈven.tʃu.əl/ [C2] (adj): cuối cùng reunification /ˌriː.juː.nɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ (n): sự thống nhất prevent sb/sth from doing sth (PhrV): ngăn ai/cái gì làm gì arduous /ˈɑː.dʒu.əs/ (adj): gian khổ bureaucratic /ˌbjʊə.rəˈkræt.ɪk/ (adj): quan liêu nonetheless /ˌnʌn.ðəˈles/ [C1] (adv): dù vậy overwhelm /ˌəʊ.vəˈwelm/ (v): tràn ngập, quá tải liberalization /ˌlɪb.ər.əl.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/ (n): sự tự do hóa mass /mæs/ [C1] (adj): nhiều, hàng loạt demonstration /ˌdem.ənˈstreɪ.ʃən/ [B2] (n): biểu tình democracy /dɪˈmɒk.rə.si/ [B2] (n): nền dân chủ defuse /ˌdiːˈfjuːz/ (v): xoa dịu tension /ˈten.ʃən/ [B2] (n): sự căng thẳng permit /ˈpɜː.mɪt/ [C1] (n): giấy phép rejoicing /rɪˈdʒɔɪ.sɪŋ/ (adj): hân hoan impede /ɪmˈpiːd/ (v): ngăn cản ỦNG HỘ READ TO LEAD! 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