In the second half of the twentieth century, while America and the Soviet Union battled for global supremacy, East and West Berlin waged their own Cold War in miniature. But theirs was an arms race measured not in nuclear warheads and missiles but in zebras and hippos. West Berlin's zoo and East Berlin's animal park were more than just their countries' most popular destinations - they were symbols of their respective systems of government. Soon, state funds were being diverted toward giving these new animals lavish welcomes worthy of visiting dignitaries. West German presidential candidates were talking about zoo policy on the campaign trail. And eventually politicians on both side of the Wall became convinced that if their zoo were proved to be inferior, then that would mean their country's whole ideology was too. 2019.