1994: Remembering when World War II Allies left Berlin – DW – 09/07/2024

Troops from the anti-Hitler coalition of nations were stationed in Germany for nearly 50 years. This period began on May 8, 1945, with the unconditional surrender of the German Reich. With it also came the end of World War II, a war started by the National Socialists that, after six years, had claimed the lives of at least 60 million people.

Germany would be divided into four occupation zones by the victorious powers: the US, Great Britain and France took over large parts of the West, while the Soviet Union had the East.

What took place on a larger scale across the country was also seen on a small scale in Berlin, the one-time capital city of the German Empire. Both Berlin and Germany were divided into four sectors by the Allies, but the agreement was not without tensions between the victorious powers, even at this early stage.

Out of a military alliance of shared aims emerged two hostile camps, and these tensions were felt most acutely in Berlin. June 1948 saw the beginning of the Soviet blockade of the Western sectors. Their aim was to secure their control over the entire city.

An airlift to save West Berlin

The legendary response of the US, Great Britain and France was the Berlin airlift. To help the 2.2 million people living in their sectors survive, planes took off and landed nonstop until the end of the blockade in May 1949, delivering all the supplies they needed: food, medicine, gasoline and coal.

Around 100 people died as a result of plane crashes and other accidents, and they’ve been remembered by a memorial at the now-closed Tempelhof Airport. The history of this logistical marvel can be seen as part of the permanent exhibition at the Allied Museum in the former American sector.

The location of the museum itself is also historic, a reminder of the decadeslong presence of the Allies. Among other things, it was home to the US soldiers’ cinema, Outpost. The street on which the museum is located is named after the organizer of the airlift, Lucius D. Clay.

Famous the world over is Checkpoint Charlie, the former border crossing that connected the two sides of a city that was divided on August 13, 1961, by the construction of the Berlin Wall. This is where Allied military personnel and diplomats could travel freely from West to East, or vice versa.

Only a few months after the final division of Berlin, this was the setting of a spectacular standoff between American and Soviet tanks.

Today, Checkpoint Charlie is a popular spot for tourists from all over the world. Many like to have their photos taken in front of a reconstruction of the former guard barracks. The original is in the Allied Museum.

Some of the tanks from that time can still be seen in Berlin. One of them sits in front of the Berlin-Karlshorst Museum in the former Soviet sector. At the heart of the permanent exhibition is the room where Germany surrendered on May 8, 1945, sealing the end of World War II. Tanks also flank the a Soviet war memorial not far from the Brandenburg Gate. The memorial is also the final resting place for at least 2,000 fallen Red Army soldiers who lost their lives in the battle for Berlin in 1945.

The Gatow Airfield in the former British sector is also a reminder of the decadeslong presence of the Allies. This is where the Royal Air Force was stationed until its final withdrawal on September 8, 1994. Today, the listed site is home to the Bundeswehr Military History Museum.

Planes no longer land at Tempelhof, Tegel

Gatow, as well as at Tempelhof and Tegel, the civilian airports in the American and French sectors, have all long since been shut down. But visitors to the sites can still learn about the eventful history of the Allies.

In November, a unique attraction will once again be on display in front of the Centre Français de Berlin, in the district of Wedding. A 13-meter-high (42.5-foot) replica of the Eiffel Tower made of wood, once in danger of collapsing, has now been restored. Opened in 1961, the cultural center remains dedicated to Franco-German friendship, long after the withdrawal of the Allies.

Thirty years have passed since the remaining soldiers of the victorious nations of World War II withdrew from Berlin. But some of their barracks are still being used by the German army, the Bundeswehr, to this day.

This article was originally written in German.

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