Berlin - A City Divided

After watching the BBC’s documentary about Berlin, I found it very interesting that two features of the city throughout its history have been the clash of ideas and the struggle for freedom. Points in history demonstrating this that I found intriguing were the character and reign of Frederick the Great and the struggle between East and West Germany after World War II.

Frederick the Great was born in Berlin in 1712 and eventually became King of Prussia. Throughout his life, Frederick embodied a clash between idealism and militarism, between liberation and oppression. From an early age he enjoyed music and the arts. However his father, Frederick Wilhelm I, disliked this and enrolled Frederick in military training. The ruler carried this dichotomy with him during his reign. 

Portrait of King Frederick II by Anton Graff.
Adolf Hitler kept a portrait of the king as one of his
most prized possessions.
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While king, he was a passionate patron of the arts and promoter of enlightenment ideals. He especially supported Voltaire and his ideas on social reform, equality, and education and put the ideas into practice in Prussia. Frederick is also known for his military genius. He expanded the kingdom, invading Saxony, Austria, and other lands. He brought enlightenment ideas with him and came to be known as a warrior philosopher. Many Germans look to Frederick the Great for inspiration for both reform and militarism. I found it interesting that communist East Germany was strongly against Frederick at first because Adolf Hitler looked up to him for his military might. They even had his statue removed in Berlin. They later changed their minds, embracing him and his ideas of compassion and tolerance. They also looked to his model for a militarized nation. They hoped affiliating with Frederick would help gain support from the people and give them historical legitimacy.

This statue of Frederick the Great was removed, then replaced by
East Berlin authorities.
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Unfortunately re-associating with Frederick the Great did not solve East Germany’s problems. People were still unsatisfied with tyranny and the terrible divisions created by dividing both Berlin and the nation as a whole. Following the end of World War II, the Allies divided Germany into four military occupation zones. Those in the west controlled by the United States, United Kingdom, and France were merged while East Germany remained under the Soviet Union. This caused conflict with the democratic west and communist east, especially in Berlin. The city was also divided among the allies, even though it was located in East Germany. Those in the west were basically prisoners, especially once the Berlin Wall was built around West Berlin in 1961. The wall divided not only the land, but also families and friends. The people of Berlin demonstrated their strength and desire for freedom throughout the Cold War Era, enduring much hardship and oppression.

A map of Germany showing its divisions among the Allies after World War II
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I found it interesting that East Berlin became a place of refuge for North Vietnamese communists despite all the bitter conflict. They made Berlin their home and found work. I thought it was sad that once Berlin was unified again the Vietnamese were displaced a bit. German Berliners were upset that they had taken jobs. One Vietnamese man said he didn’t feel like a true Berliner, even though he had lived there almost his whole life. I found this surprising, especially when I heard some of what JFK said when he traveled to Berlin: “All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin.” That Vietnamese man, however, still felt like an outsider.

JFK giving his famous "Ich Bin Ein Berliner" speech, which inspired hope in many citizens of Berlin.
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As an American, I found it somewhat easy to understand the two things characteristic of Berlin. Though perhaps not as extreme, Americans experience clashing ideas, especially since our nation, to use a cliché, is a melting pot of different cultures and peoples. Throughout history, Berliners have faced much oppression and have fought time and again for their freedom. In America, we have a tendency to take our freedoms for granted. Learning about the struggles Berliners have endured was very eye opening for me. It also made me think about those struggling for freedom and equality in American society today. I look forward to spending time in Berlin and getting to know more about its rich history and culture. (671)

Other Sources

http://www.history.com/topics/frederick-ii-prussia

http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/speech-3376