from april 1948 to may 1949, the soviets blockaded west berlin to prevent the city from using west germany's currency. the united states and its allies supplied the city by airplanes until september 1949 in what became known as the berlin airlift. many east germans wanted to live in west germany for having greater quality of life and political freedom. in 1961, the east german government built the berlin wall, dividing the two halves of the city, and heavily guarded it to prevent more people from escaping to the west. the wall was considered a symbol of the cold war and the iron curtain that divided europe.