In the embers of World War II, a defeated Germany was carved up, occupied by Britain, France, and the United States to the west, and the Soviet Union to the east. Berlin, which lay well within the eastern territory, was also divided. The west, an island of capitalism, engulfed by a communist super block. Though many Berliners could still move freely within the city—well, that was until August 13, 1961.
第二次世界大戰的餘燼中，落敗的德國被瓜分，由英國、法國、及美國占領西邊，而蘇聯占領東邊。柏林，完整地座落於東德領域，也被分割了。西柏林，一個資本主義孤島，被一個龐大的共產主義集團吞沒。雖然許多柏林人仍能自由地在城市裡移動－－嗯，那也是在 1961 年 8 月 13 號前的事了。
Berliners awoke to a barbed wire fence surrounding the western part of the city—a barrier to contain East Germans hungry for the lifestyles of the West. Overnight, families were split, and East Berliners working in the West were cut off from their jobs. Barbed wire soon became a sprawling concrete colossus, stretching 155 kilometers. Thousands of armed guards kept watch from 302 observation towers.
柏林人一覺醒來發現一道帶刺鐵絲網圍籬圍困住城市的西部－－一道遏制渴望西德生活型態的東德人的屏障。一夜間，家庭被拆散，而在西柏林工作的東柏林人被剝奪掉他們的工作。帶刺鐵絲網很快地變成蔓延的混凝土龐然巨物，延伸了 155 公里。數以千計的武裝哨兵從 302 座瞭望塔上看守著。
Now, looking out from the East, past the outer wall, is an area known as the death zone, where guards would shoot to kill. A signal fence here sends a silent alarm when touched; next, tank traps before a terrible carpet of metal spikes nicknamed felons' lawn. Then the wall, as the West saw it, 3.6 meters tall, topped with a half pipe in places to make scaling it almost impossible. More than 100,000 East Germans attempted to escape past the wall. At least 5,000 succeeded, but more than 200 died trying.
現在，從東柏林向外看， 經過那外牆，是一個被稱作死亡地帶的區域，在那兒哨兵會開槍射殺。一道在這的信號圍籬在被觸碰後會發送無聲警報；接下來，在一片外號是「重罪犯的草坪」的嚇人金屬釘毯前是拒馬陣。然後那道牆，如同西柏林所見，3.6 公尺高，頂端各處加置空心圓柱，好讓攀登它幾乎是不可能的。超過十萬名東德人試圖通過圍牆逃離。至少五千人成功，但超過兩百人試圖越界時身亡。
One of President Kennedy's most rousing speeches was delivered here at the wall, within earshot of the East—a message repeated years later by President Reagan.
甘迺迪總統其中一場最為激勵人心的演說就是在圍牆這裡發表的，就在東德的聽力範圍內－－一個多年後被雷根總統重申的訊息。
Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.
戈巴契夫先生，拆掉這堵牆。
In 1989, cracks began to show. Guards were told not to shoot. Thousands rallied for freedom in East Berlin. On the 9th of November, a sea change—East Germans would be allowed to cross the border. Thousands headed to the wall. Tearful, jubilant Germans from both sides began to hack and rip down the concrete. Excited welcoming hands reached over. East Berliners soaked up the strange Western wonderland, sparkling with the things they had so long been denied. In less than a year, the wall was in tatters, and the Iron Curtain was being pulled back. Germany, fractured for four decades, was united once more.
1989 年，裂縫開始顯現。哨兵被命令不準開槍。數千人在東柏林內為自由而團結。在十一月九號那天，一項重大的變化－－東德人民被允許能越過邊界。數千人朝那道牆移動。從兩邊走來眼眶含淚、歡欣雀躍的德國人開始又劈又扯那混凝土。興奮歡迎的手伸了過去。東柏林人感受著那陌生的西方奇境，因那些他們長久以來被禁止的事物而生氣蓬勃。在不到一年內，圍牆被徹底粉碎，鐵幕被撤回。德國，分崩離析四十年之久，再次統一了。
Atika Shubert, CNN.
Atika Shubert，CNN 報導。
- 「劃分、分割」- Carve Up
In the embers of World War II, a defeated Germany was carved up...
第二次世界大戰的餘燼中，落敗的德國被瓜分... - 「渴望」- Be Hungry For
...a barrier to contain East Germans hungry for the lifestyles of the West.
...一道遏制渴望西德生活型態的東德人的屏障。 - 「重大變化」- Sea Change
On the 9th of November, a sea change—East Germans would be allowed to cross the border.
在十一月九號那天，一項重大的變化－－東德人民被允許能越過邊界。
