As the Cold War continued , many East Germans began leaving East Germany for the West . East Germany closed the borders between East and West Germany in 1952 , but did not seal off West Berlin ; because there was freedom of movement between West Berlin and West Germany , Easterners could use the city as a crossing point to the West .
West Berliners and West Germans who had earlier fled East Germany or East Berlin , and thus could face imprisonment on entering East Germany or East Berlin , could only take flights for travel to and from West Berlin .