The Berlin Wall

history · Cold War · Germany · Berlin

Concrete Barrier. The Berlin Wall was made of thick concrete and surrounded West Berlin starting in 1961. It had guard towers, barbed wire, and soldiers watching it day and night.

Stopping Escapes. East Germany built the wall to stop its citizens from running away to the free West side. Thousands of people tried to escape across it, and some succeeded while others were caught.

Dangerous Defenses. The wall wasn't just concrete. It had anti-vehicle trenches, beds of nails, and other traps to make crossing it nearly impossible.

28 Years Long. The wall stood from August 1961 until November 1989, dividing families and friends for almost three decades before it finally came down.

Symbol of Division. The Berlin Wall became the most famous symbol of the Cold War, showing how the world was split between communist and free countries.