Berlin Airlift remembered 75 years on

An American C-47 aircraft hangs off the facade of the German Museum of Technology in central Berlin. It has become a symbol of a dramatic chapter in Berlin's history and an unprecedented relief operation. From June 1948, the Allies flew vital supplies into West Berlin after it was blockaded by the Soviets.

After World War II, the victorious Soviet Union, the US, Britain and France divided Germany into four zones that each country would occupy. As the capital situated within the Soviet zone, Berlin was divided into four sectors. On June 24, 1948, the Soviets closed all land and water routes leading into West Berlin, cutting its power supply.

On June 25, 1948, US military governor Lucius Clay gave orders to launch an airlift to supply West Berlin with key needs. A day later, the first transport plane touched down at Tempelhof airport. The airfield, located in the American sector, became the city's most important transport hub during this difficult time. Today, visitors can take guided tours of the disused airport.

The Western Allies flew key supplies into West Berlin, saving its population from starvation. During this time, the Allies designated three air corridors: two for outbound flights and one for return flights. This allowed huge numbers of transport aircraft to bring in vital goods. In total, 2.3 million tons of freight were flown into West Berlin over 14 months.

Gatow airfield became the second-most important airport during the Berlin blockade. It was located in what was then the British sector. The British used it to fly in fuel and supplies and airlift sick people and children out. Today, the disused hangars house an exhibition on military aviation in Germany.

Until its closure in 2019, Tegel airport served as the main gateway into the city for international visitors. Yet few know just how connected it was to the Berlin airlift. After all, construction on Tegel only began in 1948.

In the fall of 1948, after the Soviet blockade began, the French completed what was then Europe's longest taxiway in just three months. They were supported by 19,000 West Berliners. On November 5 that year, Tegel airport, Berlin's third airlift hub, went into operation.

Allied transport planes were colloquially known as "raisin bombers" in German. This was because US pilots would drop packages attached to homemade parachutes containing chocolate, chewing gum and sometimes raisins before landing — much to the delight of West Berlin children.

Visitors can learn a lot about the history of the airlift and life in Berlin during the Cold War at the Allied Museum in Berlin's Dahlem district, located in what was then the American sector. The exhibition also shows how, during the airlift, former wartime enemies became allies.

The Western Allies airlifted canned goods, dried fruit, powdered milk, coffee and much more into West Berlin. Today examples of these items are on display at the Allied Museum. At the time, these goods helped many Berliners get through this period of hardship. During the blockade, private US organization Care even chartered its own planes, delivering humanitarian aid to the blockaded city.

After the winter of 1948, large parts of Berlin's Tiergarten park had been cut down as Berliners were desperate for firewood. As of spring 1949, Allied transport aircraft also began flying saplings into the city to reforest the park.

These famous words were spoken by Berlin Mayor Ernst Reuter during his speech on September 9, 1948, in front of the destroyed Reichstag building. He called on the world not to allow the Soviets to seize control of the city. At the same time, Reuter implored West Berliners to persevere.

Seventy-eight pilots died during the Berlin airlift when their planes crashed as they approached the city. The Berlin airlift monument, established in 1951, commemorates their deaths. Its three pillars also symbolize the three air corridors, though Berliners colloquially refer to the moment as the "hunger claw."

The Berlin airlift ended on May 12, 1949, when the Soviets realized their blockade had failed. One year later, the Americans gifted the Liberty Bell to West Berlin. It was inaugurated by the Lucius Clay, who's often called the "father of the airlift." It rings out every noon, commemorating the unprecedented humanitarian airlift of 1948 and 1949.