The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, marking a decisive turning point toward German reunification.
East Germany began constructing the Berlin Wall on 13 August 1961 to stop the large-scale movement of its citizens to West Berlin and West Germany. The barrier included concrete sections, fences, watchtowers, patrol roads, and a guarded area often called the death strip. It separated families and communities for more than 28 years.
On 9 November 1989, East German official Günter Schabowski announced new travel rules and indicated that they took effect immediately. Crowds gathered at border crossings, and guards eventually opened the gates. People climbed onto the wall, celebrated, and began dismantling sections of it.
The wall’s fall did not itself complete reunification. East and West Germany formally reunited on 3 October 1990. The event is often remembered as a symbol of the end of the Cold War in Europe, although the Soviet Union continued to exist until 1991.