West Berliners commonly called the Berlin Wall the “Wall of Shame.”
The expression, Schandmauer in German, condemned the barrier as a symbol of political repression and the division of a city. West German and West Berlin public discourse used the phrase especially during the Wall’s years of operation, while the East German government used official language presenting the border as an “anti-fascist protection rampart.” Those competing names reflected the sharply different political interpretations of the same structure.
The Wall was not simply one straight concrete line. It formed part of a fortified border around West Berlin and included fences, patrol roads, floodlights, watchtowers, and controlled crossings. Its western face became a major canvas for graffiti, particularly after sections were made more accessible to artists. The nickname is therefore a historical political label, not the Wall’s official administrative name.