The Berlin Wall was a barrier that divided East and West Germany during the Cold War. Constructed in 1961, it was a physical symbol of the Iron Curtain that separated Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe from the West. The wall stood for 28 years, until it was finally brought down in 1989
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and the German Democratic Republic. Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government of the GDR on 13 August 1961. It included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, accompanied by a wide area that contained anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails and other defenses. The primary intention for the Wall's construction was to prevent East German citizens from fleeing to the West.