Differences in East and West Berlin and their Effects on Urban Planning - Case Study Example

Differences in East and West Berlin and their Effects on Urban Planning The division of Berlin began in 1949 when Germanywas divided into two parts that were ruled by the then super powers. East Germany was ruled by the communist USSR while the West, North, and South were headed by the capitalist France, Britain, and United States (Gerstenberger and Braziel 35). The super powers that ruled the west were commonly known as western capitalists while the eastern leader was communist. As the division of the east and west took part, Berlin found itself in the middle of the two regions and it had to be separated to form East and West Berlin. The city experienced the consequences of the divisions until the Berlin war was broken down in 1989 (Schneider-Sliwa 67). However, differences still exist between East and West Berlin until today. These variations in the city’s east and west have consequences on inhabitants and also for urban planners. This essay argues that there are differences between East and West Berlin that have effects on the citizens, and that cause challenges in urban planning in the city. The Division of East and West Berlin Economic Differences East and West Berlin have various economic differences that exist even after the unification of Germany. The western part of the city experiences high economic growth rates, high per capita income, and low unemployment rates (Schneider-Sliwa 71). The high economic growth rate in the west originates from the efficiency of capitalistic western system; while the low economic growth rate in the east is mainly because of the communist system. The previous capitalist system in the west allowed individuals to own resources and to conduct their own private businesses with the aim of earning profit (Pugh 43). This motivated individuals in the region to invest more than those in the east who were prevented from owning resources by the communist government. Although the east is trying to catch up with the development in the west, its economic growth rate is still lower than that of the west. The unemployment rate in East Berlin is 10% while in the west it is approximately 5.5% (Webb and Wong 684). This means that there is higher unemployment in the east than there is in the west. This is because of the fact that the west has more existing and upcoming organizations than the east. These organizations employ the youths immediately they graduate from school; those who do not get permanent jobs in the west get contracts that help them to earn a living as they find a job. The youths in the west also have a higher entrepreneurial spirit than those in the east (Gerstenberger and Braziel 39). This helps them to start their businesses rather than sty idle and find blue collar jobs. The eastern youths, on the other hand, still have a culture of calming down and waiting for the state to help them get jobs. This culture contributes to the high unemployment in the eastern region of the city. Architectural Differences Western Berlin consists of numerous tall and colorful buildings that are attractive to viewers (Webb and Wong 687). Most of the buildings were built when the two cities were separated and they helped to provide housing to the numerous immigrants who came from the east. Landlords who owned houses made them attractive so that they would attract tenants to live in them. The western architects also built tall buildings in the region so that tenants would be able to see the eastern region while they were in their houses. The east, on the other hand, mainly consists of medium height buildings. Although the city’s local government is trying to make the buildings attractive, it is still clear that the eastern architecture is outdated and unattractive. This causes the east to be the home of many museums and other historical monuments that are not in the west (Pugh 76). The lighting on the street also differs between the two regions with the west consisting of bright and attractive street lighting; while that of the east is less bright and attractive. This is because the west mainly used renewable sources of energy whereas the east used coal as the main source of heat and light. Space photos of Brazil show pictures of a city that is bright and more attractive on the western region than the east (Gerstenberger and Braziel 92). West Berlin also has a more modern and organized transport and communication network compared to the eastern region of the city. Cultural Differences The east has a culture of relying on the government for most decisions while individuals in the west are free to make personal decisions. The westerners are also more democratic than the easterners, thus they allow everyone to contribute ideas during decision making (Schneider-Sliwa 79). The eastern individuals, on the other hand, are not democratic and they follow the rule of the state strictly compared to the western citizens. Eastern Berlin citizens are also friendlier and have the spirit of neighborliness more than their western counterparts. These differences in culture originate from the different communist system of the east and the capitalist system of the west. Restrictions on People The differences in East and West Berlin cause various restrictions on individuals living in the two regions. For example, the difference in economic progress causes the individuals in the west to access variety of goods, better roads, and better paying jobs in their region compared to those in East Berlin (Schneider-Sliwa 83). The westerners also have access to better housing and education than the easterners. However, individuals in the east overcome this barrier by moving to the west by road and railway so that they may also experience the benefits there. Parents take their children to good schools in the west and they also encourage them to find jobs in that region (Schneider-Sliwa 84). The easterners are also struggling to overcome these barriers by liaising with the state to develop their region. For example, the citizens there come up with development ideas that are funded by the government. The state also creates public corporations in the east to help boost economic growth and per capita income and eliminate high unemployment rates (Pugh 95). The implementation of these ideas creates jobs for the young people in the region so that they may not move to the west. Landlords in the east are also starting to build tall and attractive buildings that they rent out to individuals living in the east. This eliminates the need for these citizens to move to the west in search of good housing. The state is also helping both public and private education institutions in the east of Berlin to adopt the education system of the west. The state as well helps the institutions in the east to carry out research that may lead to high economic growth and development in the area. Implications of the Divide for Planning The differences between East and West Berlin cause numerous challenges for urban planners. For example, it is hard for urban planners from the east and the west to agree on how land may be used for development in the city. The urban planners from the west create development projects that may help to increase the state’s benefits from urban land. The eastern planners, on the other hand, argue that urban land that has not been developed in the city belongs to the community (Pugh 96). The eastern planners believe that land should not be exhausted and that it should be owned by the community instead of selling it out to private developers. The lack of equilibrium between policies of easterners and westerners delay development in the city. This causes the east to lag behind the west in terms of growth and development. The different architectures in Berlin also cause challenges in urban planning and development in the city (Gerstenberger and Braziel 107). Planners fail to agree on the architecture to adopt when undertaking new constructions in the city. This is because some of them believe in modernization while others argue that it is essential to maintain the old design to maintain the identity of the city. The disagreements on the architecture to adopt also indicate that private developers adopt the design that attracts them. This leads to the continued variation in architecture in the city. The issue of financing also hampers urban planning in Berlin. Some planners believe that the state should finance all projects while others consider borrowing funds from the private sector (Gerstenberger and Braziel 110). This confusion of the source of financing for projects in the city leads to the failure of or the delay of projects. Individuals in the city are left in the middle of this confusion and this causes everyone to conduct activities that benefit them based on their beliefs. Conclusion The cultural, social, and economical divide of east and West Berlin started in 1947 when Germany was split into eastern communist and western capitalist systems. Although the segregation based on economic systems ended, there are visible differences between the east and west of the city. The west has higher benefits, for example, low unemployment, high economic growth, and modern architecture; compared to obsolete architecture, high unemployment, and low economic growth in the east. The differences in cultural beliefs and architecture between eastern and western urban planners slow down growth and development in the city. Works Cited Gerstenberger, Katharina, and Jana E. Braziel. After the Berlin Wall: Germany and Beyond. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. Print. Pugh, Emily. Architecture, Politics, and Identity in Divided Berlin. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2014. Print. Schneider-Sliwa, Rita. Cities in Transition: Globalization, Political Change and Urban Development. Dordrecht: Springer, 2010. Print. Webb, Brian, and Cecilia Wong. "Planning for Infrastructure: Challenges to Northern England." Town Planning Review. 85.6 (2014): 683-708. Print. Read More