DOCUMENTS
Following World War II, a delicate balance of power had surfaced between the once united Allies: Great Britain, the United States, France, and the Soviet Union. The opposing economic structures of capitalism and communism emerged triumphant at the end of the war. The two blossoming superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, sought to ensure their permanence by negotiating territorial claims throughout the globe. At the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences, Europe and the Far East were partitioned off as spheres of influence to their respected Ally governments. Germany was divided into fourths allowing each Ally to run its division by a military government until a suitable national government could be devised and the country put back together. This divided Germany, under direct supervision of the Council of Foreign Ministers (Allied Control Council or ACC) and the Kommandatura, was to become the first battleground of the emerging Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union.
In theory, the 4 occupying zones together were to decide upon Germany's future, and upon
Berlin's future. However, immediately after the war it became evident that this concept
would not work. Both the USSR and the western allies paid lip service to their commitments
regarding the control council, but proceeded taking unilateral steps in their respective
zones of occupation. When the CURRENCY REFORM was undertaken in the three western zones - ostensibly initiated by German authorities (LUDWIG ERHARDT), the allied military administrations refused any credit for it, it was done without informing the USSR : a fait accompli. The Soviet Union refused to allow the new currency to be used in it's zone of occupation - Germany's economic unity was ended. Stalin was especially infuriated about the introduction of the new DM in the western sectors of Berlin, carried out without consultation of the USSR. He ordered the roads, railway lines and canals connecting west Berlin and western Germany to be severed. The BERLIN BLOCKADE had begun.
West Berlin, (half) a city, over 2 million inhabitants suddenly found their supply lines
cut, most importantly the supply of food and fuel. Stalin offered to supply them, but the
Berliners, lead by city mayor ERNST REUTER, refused, fearing for the city to become
dependent on the USSR. The western allies then organized the BERLIN AIRLIFT, supplying
the city from the air with food (potatos) and coal for 11 months. In 1949, after 11 months
of bad press, Stalin gave in and ordered the streets, railway lines and canals leading to
Berlin to be reopened.
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{The above document is my father's DP card}
The following images are my fathers papers in order to travel to different sectors.
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