Oral+History+Interview

Oral History Interview

On what side of the Berlin wall did you live?

After the second World War Germany was divided in the communistic East Germany and the democratic West Germany. Berlin as also divided in the communistic East and the democratic West Berlin, divided by the Wall. Since Berlin was located in East Germany (like an island), it was difficult to get from West Germany to West Berlin. We grew up in West Germany and Berlin was more than 400 miles away from our hometown. So we only knew the Wall from TV and history class in school.

Did you ever hear what life was like on the other side?

Since Germany was involuntarily divided after the war, there was a lot of interest in West Germany in the life and the events on the East German side. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to get good and true information. Life in East Germany was a lot more difficult than in West Germany, but the East German government tried to pretend in their news that things were a lot better than they really were. But from people that managed to flee from East to West Germany, we learned how much poorer people were, and how much harder life was. There was only one type of car, the size of cardboard box, but you could have it in 4 colors. The delivery time was 18 years, so parents ordered a car for their kid, when it was born. There was no freedom of speech and police was used to suppress the people. There were elections, but one could only vote for one, to communist party.

Did you ever cross to the other side?

West Germans could not freely travel to East Berlin or East Germany. One needed to get special permission to get there. At the heavily guarded border a East German “tour guide” was waiting for you. You could not go where you wanted to go, but had to follow the guide. He lead you through a pre-planned and well-rehearsed tour that had the goal to convince you that life in the East is better than it really was. One did not dare to challenge the guide or to stray from the tour, because one could feel the constant observation.

How did the Wall start to crumble?

East Germany was poor, but did survive. Because it was supported and controlled by the Soviet Union, the center of the communist regime. In the 1980’s changes took place in the Soviet Union under its new president Gorbatschow. Among other developments the Soviet Union loosened its grip on East Germany. Without the support and control of the Soviet Union the East German government became weakened and the East German population started to protest, - not dissimilar what we see in the Arabian countries this year. In 1989 East German police finally opened the gates of the Berlin wall and thousands of East Germans poured into West Berlin. This was the beginning of the end of the East German regime and the Berlin wall. People used any kind of tool imaginable, even their hands to tear down the Wall.

Did people ever try to cross from East to West Berlin?

It was absolutely forbidden for East Germans to go to West Berlin. That is why the Wall was built. It was also deadly trying to do so. The wall was surrounded by watch-towers, mines and barbwire. Dogs, police and soldiers guarded the Wall around the clock and were under orders to shot anyone trying to flee to the West. Still people tried to escape even in the face of death. While many died trying to flee, a few managed to escape. The creativity to find new ways to escape seemed unlimited: Digging tunnels, using Zip-lines over the Wall, flying hot air-ballons made out of tarps, equipping kites with lawn-mover engines to make them fly. Amazing what people are willing to do for freedom.

Was you life affected by the fall of the Wall

Since we lived deep in West Germany, we had little immediate contact with the re-united East Germany. Of course for the first few years the funny little cardbox cars, called Trabant, could be seen on the Autobahn from far, due to all the pollution that came from the exhaust.

Why did they choose to divide Berlin when it was clearly in East Germany

Berlin was the capital of Germany and the Nazi-Reich. After the Allied Forces consisting of the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France had won the second world-war, Berlin was divided among those allies. I guess, each wanted to occupy a piece to show its significance in the war.

Was what was the explanation by the East German government why the built the wall

While it was obvious to everyone that the wall was built to prevent East Germans to flee from poorness and suppression to West Germany, the East German government could obviously not admit that. Traveling to East Germany once, I was told by a East German official tour guide that the wall was built to prevent West Germans to come over at night to steal coal from the East Germans.