Some people may try to think that the Berlin Wall was something one could avoid just by walking around it. This bridge that was in existence for almost three decades divided East Berlin and West Berlin during the cold war. In this article, the author has tried to understand whether it was possible to circumnavigate the Berlin Wall and the consequences of the act.
The Role and Building of Berlin Wall
As a short introduction to the chosen matter of discussion – the circumstances that led to the creation of the Berlin Wall. Erected by the German Democratic Republic also called East Germany the wall was built on the 13th of August 1961. Its aim was to stop people from fleeing to West Berlin as in the GDR there was a massive loss of talent and workforce.
The Structure of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was not just an ordinary wall that separates two areas of a city but a structure of more varieties. It was a complex of barriers intended to protect against cross-border unauthorized crossing. The wall stretched 155 kilometers (96 miles) and incorporated various elements:
- Concrete Wall: This was the most visible part of the wall; it was quite commonly a few meters thick and even taller.
- Death Strip: A neutral zone beside the wall and filled with the tripwires, trenches and anti-vehicle obstacles.
- Fence: The second barrier that is the physical one includes meshes fencing which make the crossing to be even more difficult.
- Watchtowers: There were many watchtowers armed with guards who looked onto the concentration camp all day and night.
- Border Patrols: East Germans used the wall as political barrier with border police being constantly on lookout for those who attempted to flee.
The Impossible Attempt of Escaping from the Berlin Wall
Therefore, it was very difficult as well as very risky to try to go around the wall because what you found was that there were so many barriers. Here are a few reasons why:
Highly Secured Border:
The East German government did everything in its powers to make certain that people could not cross the border freely. Guard rode around the wall in case of an attempt of the prisoners to escape. Even a trained dogs, floodlights, and tripwires were also used in order to prevent escapees or catch them in the act. Surrounding such a highly fortified border without getting noticed was near impossible.
Geographical Obstacles:
In addition to the actual structure of the wall, the Berlin Wall ran through rivers, canals, and through densely populated neighbourhoods. These geographical features also made it very hard to avoid the wall as one would wish to get over with the task.
Consequences and Risks:
To break out of East Berlin meant not only crossing the Wall but it also posed the factor of continual danger to life. Soldiers were even allowed to shoot at refugees, and hundreds of individuals died trying to go from East Berlin to West Berlin. To avoid being caught, arrested, or even killed the act of cycling around the wall was a very risky business.
Alternative Routes for Escape
Although circling around The Berlin Wall was virtually impossible, some people found their ways around it certainly by other methods. Here are a couple of methods that some people successfully employed:
Underground Tunnels:
A few people with passion built concealed holes below the wall. The British also built long tunnels through the walls of these rooms to allow escape to the Interior, especially in the Western side, leading to other constructed buildings, or open plains. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that construction of such tunnels demanded thinking, time, and people to turn to.
Other Border Crossings:
The Berlin Wall was probably one of the best guarded frontier but there are other options for trying to get out of East Germany. At some other times, people tried to find other paths at other parts of borders with less security measures for example the Czechoslovakian-Austrian frontier.
In Conclusion
In brief, it was impossible to simply circumnavigate the Berlin Wall because of its significant constructions, the geographical terrains which turned noteworthy areas of Berlin into the impenetrable zone, as well as the high price that associated with its crossing. Due to the efforts, which the GDR made in order to avoid the unauthorized crossings, the border was very secured. However, the main idea of the perspective presented by the-Life magazine indicates that for those who wished to free themselves from prison, other, and more often dangerous, means were sought. Closing the division: the fall of the Berlin Wall on November the 9th, 1989 acting as the new start of Berlin and the entire Germany.
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