Last semester I did a project about raising awareness of poverty in the Burlington area. Poverty is something I am not oblivious to, just as I don't think Elon students are oblivious to the trailer park just across the train tracks; however only in actually seeing it, did it become truly real. The difference between knowing about it and seeing poverty is parallel to hearing about the Berlin Wall. Walking around Berlin, seeing the divide between East and West Germany put it into a new perspective from learning about it in class. There was a wall that divided families, friends, and freedoms.
In the Check Point Charlie museum, seeing the outcry of those feeling suppressed by the wall was astounding. People used the media, specifically the newspapers to voice their disdain over the wall. While East Germany was suffering, many world leaders turned a blind eye to those behind the Iron Curtain. There were too many tales of families split apart, of people risking everything to sneak across the border in car, suitcases, one family even used a hot air balloon. From what I had learned in that museum, I did not contemplate anymore than the East German's desire to get out.
It was only after visiting the DDR museum that I saw more of what it was like to live daily lives behind the wall. I realized what I had seen in the CPC museum would not have been allowed within the censorship of the East. East German television was monitored by the government, every newspaper had the same headline, the government tried to give a perception of freedom while in truth restricted them into the barriers they set. The facade of allowing them to vote, for instance was to give them the notion of choice in government; although the constitution specified the only ruling party was to be that of the communists. The multiple newspapers, gave the illusion of many opinions but they all said the same thing, with the government believing if they see a life enough, the people will start to believe it. The only thing uncontrolled by the government was television because West German stations were able to come in, which upset the government greatly until they realized allowing Easterners to see what is happening on the other side of the wall allowed for more contentment and willingness to stay in the East.
Living with the freedoms I have grown up with makes me take for granted the freedoms some had to work so hard to gain. Even though this was before the time I was born, it was not that long ago that these freedoms were denied to so many Germans. One of the quotes in the CPC museum said, "Nothing living and human can thrive outside of freedom." It was only when people pushed back to gain their rights that their voices were finally heard.
Sydney Harris
In the Check Point Charlie museum, seeing the outcry of those feeling suppressed by the wall was astounding. People used the media, specifically the newspapers to voice their disdain over the wall. While East Germany was suffering, many world leaders turned a blind eye to those behind the Iron Curtain. There were too many tales of families split apart, of people risking everything to sneak across the border in car, suitcases, one family even used a hot air balloon. From what I had learned in that museum, I did not contemplate anymore than the East German's desire to get out.
It was only after visiting the DDR museum that I saw more of what it was like to live daily lives behind the wall. I realized what I had seen in the CPC museum would not have been allowed within the censorship of the East. East German television was monitored by the government, every newspaper had the same headline, the government tried to give a perception of freedom while in truth restricted them into the barriers they set. The facade of allowing them to vote, for instance was to give them the notion of choice in government; although the constitution specified the only ruling party was to be that of the communists. The multiple newspapers, gave the illusion of many opinions but they all said the same thing, with the government believing if they see a life enough, the people will start to believe it. The only thing uncontrolled by the government was television because West German stations were able to come in, which upset the government greatly until they realized allowing Easterners to see what is happening on the other side of the wall allowed for more contentment and willingness to stay in the East.
Living with the freedoms I have grown up with makes me take for granted the freedoms some had to work so hard to gain. Even though this was before the time I was born, it was not that long ago that these freedoms were denied to so many Germans. One of the quotes in the CPC museum said, "Nothing living and human can thrive outside of freedom." It was only when people pushed back to gain their rights that their voices were finally heard.
Sydney Harris