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2: A PHYSICAL METAPHOR established in people’s minds that this did not cause as much controversy as the erection of the Berlin Wall in 1961. As this border, as well as the fortification of other borders throughout Europe, had helped to stifle postwar chaos and violence and subsequently developed step by step, sometimes even with the consent of the local population, the final closing of the Inner German Border in 1952 did not receive that much attention. The fences were already there in peoples’ minds. In other places in Europe, borders between the countries that aligned themselves with the western and the eastern bloc became more and more militarised. The difference in other places, such as the borders between former Czechoslovakia and Hungary with Austria was that the majority of the border infrastructure was constructed well inside the eastern side of the actual borders, often away from the gaze of the western neighbours. The official goal here, as in East Germany, was to keep the enemy out but the majority of the structures were focussed on the threat from within, their own population. The main focus in these long sections of militarised border zones was to make sure that nobody could get across these areas and through to the West. In contrast during the 1960s, when the Berlin Wall was constructed, the European division became acutely obvious to the world. Here the border, which had previously been much more open than the borders between other East and West zones in the divided Germany went through a homogenous society. The border left West Berlin a floating island within what increasingly felt like ‘enemy territory’. In her article The Berlin Wall – a Symbol of the Cold War Era historian Hope Harrison (2005) looks at how the Berlin Wall came to be and points out that the wall is often seen as a result of Soviet aggression. Her studies of Soviet and East German documents show, however, that the Soviet leaders refused to sanction the building of a militarised border through the city of Berlin as they felt there would be too many negative consequences of such an act. Documents show that GDR leader Walter Ulbricht had been pushing for a building of a wall since 1953 but only in 1961 did he manage to persuade Soviet leader Nikita Khruschev into agreeing to such a construction (Harrison 2005:19–23). When the Berlin Wall was built in August 1961 it was the first time people could really see the division clearly, even touch it. Before this the militarised borders that had developed across the European continent had generally been hidden from view through protected zones and with fencing constructions placed several kilometres inside the different countries’ western borders. The fact that this border also came to divide a capital also became an important factor in the attention it was given. In a war that was 33
AN ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE IRON CURTAIN present in all aspects of life, even stretching out into space, but in most cases never tangible as a physical war of the kind previous experienced, the wall was seen as a material manifestation of the political situation. The physicality of the wall was seen as an act of aggression and making, not only the division of Europe very real, but also the Cold War as a whole. Right in front of the eyes of the inhabitants of West Berlin as well as a large amount of press, the Berlin Wall went from barbed wire to high, concrete walls, the images of which were broadcast across the world. The Berlin Wall was a frequent backdrop to political speeches throughout its existence such as Ronald Reagan’s speech at the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987 in which he declared “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” (cited in Bruner 1989:324) (Figure 1). Even though John F. Kennedy’s speech held in June 1963 was held at the Berlin’s City Hall and not at the wall itself, it was very much present in his words. He also visited the wall and the pictures of the U.S. president standing on a platform looking into the East were reported in the press throughout the Western World. Figure 1: Ronald Reagan speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall on 12th June 1987. Photo: White House Photographic Office. 34
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AN ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE IRON CURTAIN<br />
present in all aspects of life, even stretching out into space, but in most cases<br />
never tangible as a physical war of the kind previous experienced, the wall<br />
was seen as a material manifestation of the political situation. The physicality<br />
of the wall was seen as an act of aggression and making, not only the<br />
division of Europe very real, but also the Cold War as a whole. Right in<br />
front of the eyes of the inhabitants of West Berlin as well as a large amount<br />
of press, the Berlin Wall went from barbed wire to high, concrete walls, the<br />
images of which were broadcast across the world. The Berlin Wall was a<br />
frequent backdrop to political speeches throughout its existence such as<br />
Ronald Reagan’s speech at the Brandenburg Gate in June 1987 in which he<br />
declared “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” (cited in Bruner 1989:324)<br />
(Figure 1). Even though John F. Kennedy’s speech held in June 1963 was<br />
held at the Berlin’s City Hall and not at the wall itself, it was very much<br />
present in his words. He also visited the wall and the pictures of the U.S.<br />
president standing on a platform looking into the East were reported in the<br />
press throughout the Western World.<br />
Figure 1: Ronald Reagan speaking in front of the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall on 12th<br />
June 1987. Photo: White House Photographic Office.<br />
34
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