Three decades after its fall, the Berlin Wall is now visible in a virtual reality experience. It is an educational immersion to allow everyone to better understand the Cold War era.
An impermeable border
The Berlin Wall collapsed on 9 November 1989 after more than 25 years of existence. It was erected on 13 August 1961 by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) trying to stop the exodus of its inhabitants to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG).
This wall measured 3.6 meters high and was spread over 155 km. It was a complex device that actually consisted of two walls with barbed wire raised to the sky. There was also a walkway and about 300 watchtowers and other alarm devices. In addition, 14,000 guards and 600 dogs watched the iron curtain separating the German capital in two. It is estimated that 327 people died while trying to cross the wall. However, the figures given by the German Government have been repeatedly questioned.
Understanding the cold war
For the 30 years since the fall of the wall, the German startup TimeRide has developed a virtual reality experience. The goal? To offer users an immersion designed to understand how Germany, defeated in the Second World War, was then divided into two parts. This is the perfect example for understanding the Cold War between the Western bloc (Atlantic Alliance) and the Eastern Bloc (Warsaw Pact). However, this work of memory largely intended for the new generations seemed important in the eyes of the creators.
Via the Checkpoint Charlie, the user is transported to Belin East, that is to say in the part controlled by the USSR. There, he can see various famous places such as Gendarmenmarkt square and its two cathedrals marked by the Second World War. He can also visit the prefabricated buildings of Leipziger Strasse, a place considered luxurious at the time. The atmosphere is austere, with communist propaganda on every street corner and tails in front of the ration distribution points. Obviously, the experience allows to contemplate the Palace of the Republic (demolished in 2008) and of course the images of the fall of the wall.
