The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, ending its physical division of Berlin. East Germany began constructing the wall in August 1961 to stop the large-scale movement of its citizens to West Berlin and, from there, to West Germany.
The barrier became a heavily guarded system rather than a single simple wall. It included concrete segments, fences, patrol roads, watchtowers, lighting, and a restricted strip often called the death strip. At least dozens of people died attempting to cross the Berlin Wall, although exact totals vary by definition and source.
On 9 November 1989, East German official Günter Schabowski announced new travel regulations and incorrectly suggested that they took effect immediately. Crowds gathered at border crossings, and guards eventually opened them. Berliners then crossed freely, while people on both sides began dismantling sections of the barrier.
The fall of the wall became a defining symbol of the end of the Cold War in Europe. German reunification followed on 3 October 1990. Small preserved sections and memorial sites remain in Berlin, including the Berlin Wall Memorial.