Berlin Wall

So, folks, can you really imagine where you are now? You are standing on a historic border — the border between the eastern part of the world, the Communist part of the world. It wasn’t just East Germany; it included other countries like Poland, Vietnam, and Cambodia. At that time, you’ll remember, the world was divided into two blocks: a Communist block and a Western Democratic block. And one of the most significant places during that period was right here, in Berlin, The Divided City. East Berlin and West Berlin, separated by this border, with Checkpoint Charlie right in between.

You’ve all heard of Checkpoint Charlie. It was a crossing point reserved for military personnel and diplomats to travel between East Berlin and West Berlin. At that time, the city was divided into four sectors: a French sector, an American sector, a British sector, and a Soviet sector. What comes to mind are the Allied Forces that had fought against Nazi Germany, with each Allied country controlling a part of the city. That was the situation after World War II.

Then, the East German government decided to build the Wall. They built it because they realized that many people, initially enthusiastic about Communism, were discovering its harsh realities and leaving. Especially the educated and skilled individuals — doctors, diplomats, businesspeople — decided that Communism was not for them, so they were fleeing. Faced with this exodus, what could the East German government do to stop it? They built the Wall.

However, they had to convince their own people that there was a good reason for constructing the Wall. They couldn’t admit, “We’re building this wall to imprison you.” Instead, they claimed that the Americans were planning to attack East Germany, so a defense wall was needed. And many people believed it — that the Americans would attack East Germany, so it was good to have a defensive barrier.

Now, look at how they constructed this wall. Can you see these concrete sections? You have the base segments on the ground and the upright parts, with barbed wire on top. Could you imagine someone trying to climb this structure? It was nearly impossible. The East German government secretly prepared for this construction in 25 factories, fabricating these concrete parts. And on the designated night, hundreds and thousands of trucks transported these concrete sections throughout the city and beyond.

Remember, it wasn’t only Berlin that was divided; the entire country of Germany was split. As you recall from the map I showed you on the bus, there was West Germany and East Germany. It was an incredible feat to establish this border with these concrete barriers. You can see how difficult it was to climb over, and then, for official purposes, they erected border poles to mark where East German territory began. Their symbol, the hammer and sickle, along with their flag, clearly signified where East Germany started.

This is why this place holds such significance. It is crucial to bring people here to describe what happened, to serve as a warning, and to remind everyone that we must be vigilant to prevent such situations from happening again. Especially now, with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and Russia, it’s vital to remember what Communism can do.

Hi, this is Pastor Lutzer, standing near Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, Germany. There is a very important lesson to learn about walls. Sometimes, walls are built to keep people out, and sometimes walls are built to keep people in. All of us know that the Berlin Wall was not constructed to protect people who might want to enter the country; rather, it was to ensure that people stayed within the country and could not leave.

The bottom line is this: you can tell whether a country is welcoming and truly free based on whether its walls are designed to keep people out or to imprison them within. Right here, we see a sign that reads “German Democratic Republic,” which stood for the Communist state. You can use the word “Democratic” however you wish, but sometimes, what is called democracy can turn out to be totalitarianism.

Thank you, reporting directly from Berlin, near Checkpoint Charlie.