The border of east and west Germany was hundreds of miles west of Berlin so it was an isolated pocket of capitalism surrounded by communist east Germany. The east German government built the wall to prevent East German citizens from defecting to the west via West Berlin. read more
As the East-West divide hardened into a Cold War, so, too, did the division of the city, into East and West Berlin. Clearly West Berlin was an anomaly: an island of freedom locked 100 miles inside Soviet-controlled East Germany. read more
The whole border was guarded. Most people don't realise that Berlin is not on the border between east and west. It is is in the middle of what was East germany. The wall was between East and west berlin, dividing the city right across the original streets. If you look at a map you will see why many people used the route into west berlin. read more