For thirty years, an iron curtain covered Germany. This Iron Curtain was called the Berlin Wall and represented the division between East and West Germany. It also represented East Germany's loss of freedom and democracy. The Berlin Wall separated families and friends. This resulted in children growing up without fathers and women losing all communication with their husbands. The Berlin Wall took a toll on many people and businesses and caused a dent in German history. After the end of World War II, Germany was in a horrible state. America would transport all kinds of supplies at a rate of one plane every three minutes on average (Levy 11). America, Britain and France created three zones with democratic governments in Germany. In each area, civil servants would work to help govern and rebuild. In Russia, the Soviet Union also wanted a piece of Germany. The Soviet Union was an extremist communist government and had a dictator named Joseph Stalin. The Soviet Union had pushed communism to European countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Hungary and other small countries. In 1947, the Soviet Union began to take control of Germany. They took control of about half of Germany, including half of Berlin. West Germany not only relied on East Germany for economic supplies and aid, but it also relied on West Germany. Joseph Stalin believed that if he cut all connections between the now divided Germany, America, Britain and France would be driven out. So, on June 23, 1948, Stalin ordered that all land routes leading to Berlin from the west be cut (Levy 13). This was called the German blockade. However, less than a year later, Stalin ended the blockade because he was unable to put pressure on the Western government... middle of paper ...... a million people demonstrated in the streets all over Germany. Krenz no longer believed the Berlin Wall was necessary and planned to allow freedom of movement on November 10. Shortly before midnight on November 9, the gates of the Berlin Wall were finally opened after almost thirty years. East Germans marched through the gates, and East Germans were given exit visas free of charge and upon request (Taylor 312). Families and friends were eventually released and Germany was free. It took about a year and a half to finally bring down the entire Berlin Wall. The demolition of the Berlin Wall was like the representation of the end of the Cold War and the beginning of a new era. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, its disappearance has become a sign of freedom and democracy. Nearly twenty years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall, the event remains etched in history books around the world..