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NEWS > EVERYONE ELSE > MILLIONS CELEBRATE LOUSY CONSTRUCTION OF BERLIN WALL
MILLIONS CELEBRATE LOUSY CONSTRUCTION OF BERLIN WALL
November 9 2009
Berlin, Germany – The Cold War was without a doubt one of the most defining elements of the most significant centuries in the history of the human species. Military tension, social and technological developments, and economic diversity throughout
the century were all coloured by the confrontation between the west and the Soviet 
Union. The greatest symbol of that conflict was of course the Berlin Wall and its collapse was, fittingly, the symbolic end of the Cold War, and event that helped to alter the face of Europe and the world forever.
Now, twenty years after the wall collapsed under the weight of history, millions around the world are celebrating its demise as a symbol of peace and freedom. Others though are a little more cynical about the celebration, citing the extreme danger with which the wall was taken down and obliteration of one of the most famous construction projects in history. So while millions flock to the city that was the flashpoint of two of
the greatest conflicts in human history, celebrating its modern position as a city of peace, a smaller group is joining forces to determine what could have been done better and how any potential future walls will be constructed.
“While we certainly understand the historical elements of the fall of the wall we simply can’t get over the actual collapse. Part of it is the dangerous way in which it was taken down. I mean the bulk of it was knocked down in a responsible manner but the image that people remember is of it coming down by hand, with people dancing on it. That is the most irresponsible way to remove any kind of structure and it really shouldn’t be promoted or celebrated,” said Gerhard Boechner, founder of the Berlin Wall archivist society. “It’s also very perturbing that the wall was taken down so easily by novices. In many ways it’s
surprising that the structure was able to stand as long as it did, though that likely had a lot to do with the trenches and razor wire and guard towers. Ultimately, this was a very poorly constructed wall and it really shouldn’t be regarded as highly as it is. I can tell you if we were to build that wall today things would be much different. This was not the peak of German engineering.”
Reports from the era in which the wall was built have indicated that the German workers were largely unhappy with the techniques used and money available in which to erect the structure. A large number of correspondences were intercepted by the west between the East Berlin government and Moscow, which was largely indifferent to their concerns.
“The amount of rebar used, the mix of the concrete, the depth of the footings, all of those things were substandard. It’s been pretty obvious for a number of years that the Soviets just wanted the wall up and weren’t too worried about how long it would last. Maybe they knew something,” continued
Boechner. “Obviously the best example of a wall is the Great Wall of China. That structure has existed for 2500 years, and was done without the benefit of modern construction techniques and really shows how well a wall can be built. That is what the builders of our wall should have aspired to but of course that did not happen.”
The various walls in China were constructed for similar reasons as the Berlin structure. The majority of the various sections started construction in approximately 221 B.C.E.
“Really the wall represents the failure that was built into the Soviet Union. Yes, they built nuclear weapons and massive armies. Yes they put human beings into space, but for some reason they couldn’t build a simple wall that could withstand people tearing it down by hand,” continued Boechner. “It was pretty obvious the Soviet government simply didn’t care and it’s that attitude that led to the demise of their empire. If Germans had been in charge that wall never would have come down.”
Berlin city officials have no plans to rebuild the wall, at least for the moment.
Emil Uliya, International Correspondent
NEWS > EVERYONE ELSE > MILLIONS CELEBRATE LOUSY CONSTRUCTION OF BERLIN WALL
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