The wall that’s normally shown is, I think, I on the border between East and West Berlin. Was there also a wall that ran all the way around West Berlin, to separate it from the rest of East Germany? If so, was it as imposing?
The wall went all the way around West Berlin, since it was an enclave smack dab in the middle of East Germany. Here is a map.
It did run the entire way around West Berlin. Here’s a map of the wall. A good site with lots of info.
On preview, damn you, friedo!
Were residents of West Berlin allowed to come and go as they pleased? Via what means- did they have to take a plane?
Never gave it much thought before, but this thread had identified an interesting knowledge gap for me.
I visited some friends who lived in the former East Germany, not East Berlin but a town to the west of West Berlin. I took a walk on some nice jogging and horse paths and one section used to be the dividing line between east and west.
Out there, the Wall was two barbed wire fences with a path down the center patrolled by guards and dogs. Now it is a horse and bike path. There are houses suprisingly close to the area on both sides, apparently in the East they were only given to loyal party members, many of whom still live there.
The former Allies (the “Four Powers”) and the Germanies eventually set up various transit corridors from the West to West Berlin; intially by air, and later including rail and road links. Here is a brief history of the access routes, complete with a handy little map.
Thanks, MEBuckner. That’s an interesting link.