The Berlin Wall fell in 1989, opening the way for German reunification.
East Germany opened its border crossings on 9 November 1989 after mounting public protests and a confused announcement by government spokesman Günter Schabowski. Crowds gathered at checkpoints, and guards eventually allowed people to pass. The barriers were then dismantled by citizens and workers over the following months.
The wall had been built in August 1961 by East Germany to stop residents from leaving for West Berlin and West Germany. It became the most visible symbol of the political division created by the Cold War. Although called a wall, the border system included fences, watchtowers, patrol roads, lights, and a guarded death strip.
Germany formally reunified on 3 October 1990, almost a year after the wall’s opening. The fall of the wall is therefore dated to 1989, while reunification belongs to 1990.