Description

This large powerful map shows Berlin around 1962, in the year after the Berlin Wall was erected, which isolated the west part from the east until 1989.The West Berlin is surrounded with a barb wire. The symbols on the bottom explain the check points, borders and borderline areas, and the symbols in the upper right part transportation.

The statistical charts verso showcase the trade, refugees and routes between the East and the West. Showcased are also the partition of Germany, the Brandenburg Gate etc.

As up until 1952, the lines between East Germany and the western occupied zones could be easily crossed in most places, the inner German border officially closed in 1952. The border in Berlin still remained considerably more accessible then because it was administered by all four occupying powers. In 1955, the Soviets gave East Germany authority over civilian movement in Berlin, the new government restricted all travel to the West in 1956. One year later East Germany introduced a new passport law that reduced a large number of refugees leaving Eastern Germany.