Freedom is stronger. Cold War in Berlin 1950. This American film report shows footage of the history of Berlin during the Cold War 1948-1950. Film length 09:20. A licence fee of 19 x 30 seconds is charged to purchase a licence for the complete report.
Cold War in Berlin 1950
Description
Cold War in Berlin 1950
Historical background
Freedom is stronger.
The American film report offers an insight into the history of Berlin during the Cold War, especially in the years 1948 to 1950, with Mayor Ernst Reuter speaking. During this period, Berlin was the epicentre of tensions between the Allies and the Soviet occupation zone in Germany. A key moment was the Berlin Blockade, introduced by the Soviet Union in 1948 to prevent the West from gaining access to the western sectors of the city.
Footage shows the airlift initiated by the Western Allies in response to the blockade. The Berlin Airlift was a massive humanitarian operation in which the Western Allies brought tonnes of food, coal and other vital supplies to West Berlin after the Soviet Union had cut off the city from all land and water routes. This was in response to the introduction of the Deutschmark in West Germany and the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was a remarkable example of co-operation and steadfastness in the face of the Soviet quest for supremacy.
In addition, the footage also shows the political and social atmosphere in Berlin during this period, including the growing division between East and West and the efforts of the Allies to promote democracy and the Western way of life in the city.