Construction of the Berlin Wall

In the early hours of August 13, 1961, East German soldiers began unrolling barbed wire across the heart of Berlin. This marked the beginning of one of the most iconic symbols of the Cold War: the Berlin Wall. As dawn broke, stunned Berliners awoke to find their city divided, families torn apart, and freedom restricted. The wall, hastily constructed to stem the tide of East Germans fleeing to the West, would stand for 28 years as a physical and ideological barrier between democracy and communism. Its presence reshaped not only Berlin but the entire geopolitical landscape of Europe and beyond. Join us as we explore the dramatic events surrounding the construction of the Berlin Wall and its profound impact on history.

Play