In 1712, Frederick the Great was born. He would be a ruler who would go on to change the world. Despite his hatred for war, he gained a lot of territory for the Prussian empire while modernizing Prussia. In Frederick’s early years he rebelled against his family and tried to flee his father’s reign, he then had to watch his friend be beheaded. Still Frederick continued to rebel in his own ways. He started playing flute and had a library of poetry. Frederick was a well-rounded man. He helped build the famous architecture of Berlin. He built the Berlin State Opera, St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, and the State Library Berlin. While doing all of this he successfully won the Silesian War and the Seven Years War. Between these two wars, Frederick gained part of Poland and Austria. He was an icon in Prussia and a huge statue was built in his honor.
Today, that statue rests upon the Brandenburg Gate. The short documentary describes the Gate as, “a symbol of militarism and idealism; of oppression and liberation”(Matt Frei). If it were not for Frederick the Great, the Brandenburg Gate may have not existed in the way that it has. It has divided Berlin in two; it is the timeline of Berlin. It has been there through it all, and Frederick the Great stands on top of it. Symbolizing how he had helped shape Berlin.
During the Cold War, Soviet Russia blocked off Berlin so that they could control the entire city instead of half of the city. The Soviet Russia was unsuccessful in gaining control of the entire city due to the Allies airlifting food and supplies to Berlin. Around 20,000 citizens of Berlin came together to help one another survive as they built a third airport so more supplies could be given. They managed to build the airport in about three months after working around the clock. Airplanes were coming and leaving within six minutes. This airlift lasted for 462 days; during this time the citizens of Berlin survived because of one another and the Allied forces. Finally, the West one, and the blockade was lifted.
This picture depicts how anxiously the citizens of Berlin awaited the airplanes to come in and deliver the much-needed supplies. Even though everything was rationed, there was still enough to prove that Berlin will be protected. However, Russia realized that Berlin was their advantage; Berlin was in the middle of Communist Russia. In the Cold War times, that is exactly what they needed to get ahead. They did this by psychologically hurting the people of Berlin. Families were divided, lovers could no longer see one another, and eventually people were putting their lives in danger just to get out of this oppressed side of the city; all because of a wall.
After World War II, Germany and Berlin were divided. On one side were the allied forces. Even though Berlin lied in the middle of Soviet Russia’s territory, Berlin was also divided in half; quite literally. Russia had at first made a soldier made barrier where no one could pass without the proper credentials. As if that wasn’t enough though, they also changed the currency in East Berlin. While Berlin went from Reichsmarks to Deutschmarks, East Berlin then went to a different kind of currency; marks. The ratio from Deutschmarks to Marks were one to four. A significant difference between one city. And Berlin felt it. Due to this currency issue, West Berlin was thriving while East Berlin suffered. People fled to the West, knowing and dreaming of how amazing it will be there. After “X-Day”, the day Reichsmarks switched to Deutschmarks, apparently stores were filled with fruits, veggies, clothes and more. There were no more rations, people could spend as they pleased. It all worked for West Berlin, but East Berlin was left to suffer and only dream about life in the West.
Word Count: 650.
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