The most comfortable and developed country in all plans in Europe is Germany. The city of Berlin, which is the capital, is considered a city with a very ambiguous and complex history. And one of its most significant periods is the time period during which the capital was divided into two parts. That is, East and West Berlin.
The beginning of the story
After the Second World War ended, the occupying authorities in the western part of the capital began to act confidently towards the split of Berlin into two parts. Much has been done for this. For example, the French, English and American sectors were drawn into the political as well as the economic system of the western part of the country. For a long time, West Berlin played a special role in the struggle against the GDR, as well as many other countries of the socialist regime. More than once, NATO members have provoked West Berlin into conflicts, and this has paid off. To be more precise, all thisled to an aggravation of relations between countries and the international situation in general. As a result, in 1961, at the end of the summer, the government of the GDR decided to strengthen control and protection over this district. As a result, the borders of West Berlin were tightened, and a border regime was introduced.
East Berlin
This topic cannot be ignored. After all, at that time there was West and East Berlin. What should be said about the latter? The integration of East Berlin into the GDR dates back to the period 1948-1952. It was in an economic union with other lands of the occupation zone. But then they merged into the German Democratic Republic, and East Berlin became a single union with it, thus gaining the right to elect deputies to the Chamber of the Lands, as well as to the People's Chamber. The laws adopted by the parliament came into force only after the City Assembly approved them. Actually, East Berlin housed the government, parliament, the Prosecutor General's Office, as well as the Supreme Court. It is interesting that the constitution of East Berlin was adopted only in 1990, on April 23rd. Until now, her role has been filled by the Provisional Constitution of Greater Berlin.
Development of events
In 1953, there was an anti-government mass demonstration that took place in East Berlin. But it was quickly suppressed by the Soviet troops, as the leadership of the GDR demanded it. Then West Berlin became literally a “showcase”, the center of the entire district. This wasreally a city with a good standard of living at that time, with democratic freedom and social protection. At that time, the “temporary capital” of Germany designated the city of Bonn. If we talk about the GDR, then it placed its capital in the Eastern District, respectively. The confrontation intensified, and in 1961 the construction of the Berlin Wall began. This project was initiated by the socialist GDR. Citizens from one side to the other could pass only through points specially erected for this purpose. There, people passed the control, after which they were either allowed to cross the border or not.
Relations with Germany
In 1972, a quadripartite agreement between the USSR, France, Great Britain and the USA and several agreements regarding a number of issues related to the FRG, the GDR and directly to the Senate, which controlled West Berlin, came into force. After that, the tense situation, which had already become the norm for the outskirts of the city, subsided. This agreement made it possible to maintain good relations between West Berlin and the FRG, moreover, according to this document, they even had to develop. However, on one condition - if the sectors are still considered separate from the Federal Republic. It could be called a compromise.
Politics
It is necessary to say a few words about the political structure of West Berlin. The highest authority was the Chamber of Deputies, and the executive body was the Senate, headed by the ruling burgomaster. It should also be noted that theyruled by the occupation authorities. If we talk about political parties, then the first thing I would like to mention is the Social Democratic, Free and Christian. They were considered land organizations of certain parties of the Federal Republic. It is impossible not to mention the socialist united party, in other words, the Marxist-Leninist one. The association of German trade unions and many other organizations also operated on the territory of West Berlin.
Development and prosperity
East and West Berlin (the map of the old city clearly shows exactly how the current capital was divided) were really different districts, and each of them lived its own life. A huge number of plans began to appear regarding the use of the territory of West Berlin, ideas about improving infrastructure. A plan was intensively developed to improve the Eastern part as well. Entire concepts began to appear, designed for further development prospects. The roads were also reconstructed. This was taken very seriously. For example, the ring road was connected with the central part by means of high-speed highways. A system of representative streets emerged. And the area called Kurfürstendamm was considered a single business center. This is how the Eastern and Western parts of the current capital of Germany developed until the fall of the Berlin Wall. And this happened quite recently - only in 1989, again at the initiative of the GDR, due to the fact that the USSR refused to interfere in the political issues of the Republic.
Ourtime
The Berlin Wall fell relatively recently, as already mentioned, and, probably, it is for this reason that the Eastern and Western parts of the capital differ significantly from each other. Everything is different: from the color of the lanterns to the architecture. The western part is rich in the brightest sights of the city of Berlin. Photos showing some of them are definitely inspiring to study the history of this city. So, for example, attention should be paid to the Tiergarten Park and the Victory Column. Or the Bellevue Palace, which is located in a picturesque park area. At the moment, it is considered the presidential residence.
Architecture and cultural heritage
West Berlin's architecture can't help but catch the eye. Charlottenburg Palace is considered to be the pearl and heritage of the capital. Its construction dates back to the 17th century for the wife of Frederick III, Sophie-Charlotte. And, of course, the shining magnificence of the Reichstag. It was ordered to be erected by King Wilhelm at the end of the 19th century (to be more precise, in 1884). Paul Valotta was involved in the creation of an architectural plan, and as a result, the building was erected. However, in 1933 it was set on fire. But after World War II ended, the Reichstag was reconstructed. East Berlin is more modern in architectural terms, but this is precisely what is the highlight of the capital. A harmonious combination of ancient buildings and modern attractions is what attracts people from all over the world to this city. Moreover, both ordinary tourists and historians, archaeologists, andas well as other personalities who consider the city of Berlin a real heritage. The photos that exist today cannot fully convey the power of the capital, but they can give an idea of it.
