In the spring of 1945, World War II ended
For many, peace and hope descended
With the War over, the allies divided Germany
This was known as the, Potsdam Treaty
The country was split into four quarters
With UK, French, USA and USSR borders
The British had the North and West
The French had the South and South West
The USA had the South, central and South East
The Russians occupied the entire East
The same was done with its capital, Berlin
This is where our story will begin
USA, Britain and French had the West
The Russians had the rest
Germans were being governed differently
The west flourished with its democracy
This wasn't the same for East Germany
Spare a thought for Berlin
A city divided by suffering
During the 1950's the West side flourished
Whilst those living in the East perished
Those in East Berlin fled to the West Side
Wanting what they were denied
They wanted a better standard of living
But the Russians were not so forgiving
In 1961 orders given by Stalin
To create a Wire fencing
To stop this happening
In 1965 The fencing was replaced by a wall
96 miles long and 10 meters tall
It was the symbol of the Iron Curtain
For East Berliners, it was a life uncertain
The East German Authorities
Were told to shoot to kill escapees
The no mans land between West and East
Was known as the ‘Death Strip Beast'
200 people are known to have died
And over 5,000 tried
To cross the East and West divide
For a better life on the other side
As the world looked the other way
It was even applauded by JFK
Others sat on the fence or were unsure
No one wanted another War
The wall created many enemies
But opinions changed in the 1980s
Ronald Reagan called it a ‘Wall of hate'
In his famous speech at Brandenburg Gate
In August 1989, Hungary lifted its restrictions
With their neighbours the Austrians
The border crossing was now free
To allow East Germans Entry
To the once communist Hungary
A future now they could see
Protests were soon abound
About life inside the German compound
Mass demonstrations could now be seen
East Germany wanted the Western dream
On October 1989 Erick Honecker resigned
The wall would soon be climbed
Honecker gave up his presidency
As Egon Krenz took power of East Germany
On November 9th 1989, more fled as refugees
Thousands poured into Czechoslovakia
A press conference was called about the matter
Where Egon Krenz was passed a letter
From the German home office minister
Allowing East Germans to pass through
All check points at the Berlin wall too
But there's always beauty in fate
For this order was a mistake
As it was broadcast to the nation
The letter was only a suggestion
Krenz didn't know this as he faced the media
And soon the whole of Germany was in Hysteria
Thousands fled that second from their homes
And gathered at the restricted zones
Guards were totally out numbered
One to every hundred
They radioed through to get confirmation
But Krenz had only fueled the speculation
The guards were soon overpowered
As more East Berliners joined the crowd
Thousands poured passed the guards
They tasted hope and peace at last
Into the arms of their Western Brothers
They were greeted by many others
On December 23rd 1989 the wall was rabble
As East Berliners were given visa free travel
28yrs they had lived behind concrete
Freedom was a hand shake out of reach
On October 3rd 1990
There was a unification of Germany
East met West under the sun of Democracy
They no longer saw the world through a TV
And now in 2008, I'm surrounded by it all
Hearing the story of a wall.
