A physical barrier built in 1961 to separate East Berlin from West Berlin, created by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin
Why was the Berlin Wall built?
Built to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany, stop capital flight, and symbolize the consequences of escaping communist rule during the Cold War
Impact on Berlin
The Berlin Wall divided the city, restricted movement and communication, led to economic decline, emigration, and isolation
Life behind the Wall
Strict controls, constant surveillance, limited freedom, economic scarcity, and propaganda characterized life in East Berlin
Escaping East Berlin
People used tunnels, hot-air balloons, rivers, hidden compartments, couriers, and West Berlin intervention to escape from East Berlin, with the Berlin Tunnel and Stasi resistance being significant methods
The Berlin Wall
A physical barrier built in 1961 to separate East Berlin from West Berlin, to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Germany and to enforce communist rule
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was torn down on November 9, 1989, after mass demonstrations and the collapse of the East German government, marking the beginning of the end of the division of Berlin
