They didn't go without, but they lived very simple lives. In 1989, the wall finally fell. Many people, even those as young as me, remember the destruction of the wall. It was a time of incredible rejoicing. Now, twelve years later, there is little difference between East and West Berlin.
Berlin is the new business capitol of the region.
Tourists flock to the city. In five years, it will be unrecognizable to those who see it today. I saw the 300m of the wall that still exist. It has been painted and graphiteed. Sometimes I think we forget that these things happened to real people.