Bornholmer Straße was the East German border crossing where the Berlin Wall opened first on 9 November 1989.
A large crowd gathered at the Bornholmer Straße crossing after Günter Schabowski announced new travel regulations at a press conference. The rules were intended to take effect immediately, although the government had not fully prepared the border troops for the announcement.
Under mounting pressure, the crossing’s commander allowed people through later that evening. Bornholmer Straße therefore became the first Wall checkpoint to open, and other crossings followed. The opening effectively ended the Wall as a functioning barrier, although formal demolition and border removal continued afterward.
Checkpoint Charlie is often given as the answer because it was the best-known crossing and opened the same night. It was not the first. Bornholmer Straße was located in the north of Berlin, connecting the districts of Prenzlauer Berg and Wedding.