Post-War Berlin

The four victorious powers – the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and France occupied Germany after the surrender of the Third Reich and divided it into four zones of occupation, as settled in the previous war conferences. Berlin has a special status: Despite the fact that the former capital of the German Reich is located in the centre of the Soviet zone of occupation, the city is also divided into four sectors. For the Western powers – the United States, Great Britain, and France, this implies that their sectors in the city are located far away from their zones of occupation in the Western part of Germany. The four victorious powers cooperate within the Allied Control Council in an attempt to create a policy for all of Germany. However, this undertaking fails.

As of 1946–47, the three Western powers go their own way to pursue their goal of creating a democratic German state. In their zones, free and democratic elections are equally important as a stable economy. However, this requires a currency reform.

This reform is enacted in June 1948. It applies to the three zones in West Germany and is supposed to extend to the area of West Berlin, which is located in the midst of the Soviet zone of occupation. This event is the direct cause of the Soviet blockade of the city.