At the end of WWII, Germany was divided into four zones, each controlled by a separate nation. The zones maintained by the United States, France, and England were called West Berlin. The Soviet Union controlled section became East Berlin. By 1961, nearly 2.5 million had fled from the East to the West, escaping the repression of the East. To stop the bleed of defectors, East Berlin had a solution.
When Germans awoke the morning of August 13, 1961, they found that the German Democratic Republic had erected a barbed wire fence to separate the East from the West. “It was eventually made more foreboding by incorporating a row of subsidiary walls, trenches, electric fences and an open “death strip” overseen by armed guards in 302 watchtowers. [The concrete portion of the Wall was built in 1979.] Once completed, the wall followed a 96-mile zigzag path, but only 27 miles of the wall divided East and West Berlin; the rest of the barrier separated West Berlin from the surrounding East German countryside.”1
“Between 1961 and 1989, at least 140 people were killed or died at the Wall in connection with the GDR border regime:
- 101 people who tried to flee through the border fortifications were shot, died by accident, or committed suicide.
- 30 people from the East and West who were not trying to flee and 1 Soviet soldier were shot or died by accident.
- Eight on-duty GDR border soldiers were killed by military deserters, comrades, a refugee, an escape helper or a West Berlin policeman
“At least 251 travelers also died during or after passing through checkpoints at Berlin border crossings. Unknown numbers of people suffered and died from distress and despair that was caused by the Berlin Wall.”2
On this day in 1987, a brave and bold American president stood with the Berlin Wall as a backdrop and gave one of his most famous speeches: “There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace.” He then called upon his Soviet counterpart: “Secretary General Gorbachev, if you seek peace—if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe—if you seek liberalization: come here, to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” President Ronald Reagan then went on to ask Gorbachev to undertake serious arms reduction talks with the United States.
“Most listeners at the time viewed Reagan’s speech as a dramatic appeal to Gorbachev to renew negotiations on nuclear arms reductions. It was also a reminder that despite the Soviet leader’s public statements about a new relationship with the West, the U.S. wanted to see action taken to lessen Cold War tensions. Happily for Berliners, though, the speech also foreshadowed events to come: Two years later, on November 9, 1989, joyful East and West Germans did break down the infamous barrier between East and West Berlin. Germany was officially reunited on October 3, 1990.”3
There is a wall that makes the Berlin Wall look like nothing. Ephesians 2:13-16 says, “But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
This wall between man and God was erected by sin. Another wall separated Jew and Gentile as alluded to by the “middle wall of partition,” a wall in the temple that partitioned off the court of the Gentiles from the areas accessible only to Jews. When Jesus dies and arises from the grave, His sacrifice made it so that man could have access directly to God and that Jew and Gentile would come together as one new man in Christ.
As the people of Germany rejoiced to see the Wall torn down, we rejoice to see the spiritual walls come down as lost souls come to receive Jesus as their Savior. When they do, Galatians 3:28-29 tells us that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (29) And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Amen!
1https://www.history.com/articles/how-long-was-the-berlin-wall
2https://www.stiftung-berliner-mauer.de/en/topics/victims-berlin-wall
3https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/june-12/reagan-challenges-gorbachev-to-tear-down-the-berlin-wall
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