What was the official East German name for the Berlin Wall?

The official East German name for the Berlin Wall was the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart.

East Germany called the barrier the “Antifaschistischer Schutzwall,” presenting it as a defensive measure against fascism and Western espionage. The wording was political: it portrayed West Germany and its allies as threats rather than describing the wall as a barrier preventing East German citizens from leaving.

In everyday German and international reporting, the structure was usually called the Berliner Mauer, or Berlin Wall. The official label therefore appears mainly in East German government statements, propaganda, and historical discussions of the Cold War.

The wall’s practical purpose was to stop unauthorized movement from East Berlin and East Germany into West Berlin. Its construction began in August 1961, and the border system remained until its opening in November 1989.