It‘s been 30 years since the biggest barrier to freedom has been destroyed. Until 1989, a wall of pain, oppression, and injustice divided the capital of Germany-Berlin.

The Berlin Wall was first set up on August 12, 1961. The construction happened unexpectedly in the middle of the night and thousands of families were suddenly separated. Before the Wall, people could freely move between the borders-which meant that many were still on the opposite side when the Wall was erected.

The Wall represented the Cold War and the constant struggle between the Soviets and the Allied forces (USA, Britain, and France), especially, the conflict between communist and democratic ideologies. The Wall also demonstrated the violation of human rights characteristic of communism and rule under Khrushchev.

Thankfully, as Cold War tensions began to ease, the wall was torn apart on the historic date of November 9, 1989. Germans (literally) broke down the wall using pickaxes and hammers and thousands of families were reunited. At midnight, millions flooded to the Wall and celebrated the destruction of it. As one journalist wrote, it was “the greatest street party in the history of the world.”

As much as the Berlin Wall has a historical significance, the moral implications of its construction and destruction will continue to have an effect on people today. The Berlin Wall represented the biggest violation and suppression of unalienable rights. However, its destruction communicates to us the power of justice and that right will prevail over wrong.

<Ashley Kim / New Covenant Academy / 11th Grade>