East German officials opened the Berlin Wall on November 9,
1989, allowing travel from East to West Berlin. The following
day, celebrating Germans began to tear the wall down.
The destruction of the Berlin Wall was a significant action
leading to the end of the Cold War.
CAMILLE BOHANNON
Shortly after midnight on August 13, 1961, East German soldiers
began laying down barbed wire and bricks as a barrier between
Soviet-controlled East Berlin and the democratic western section
of the city.
More than two years after the Berlin Wall was constructed by
East Germany to prevent its citizens from fleeing its communist
regime, nearly 4,000 West Berliners were allowed to cross into
East Berlin to visit relatives.
Under an agreement reached between East and West Berlin,
more than 170,000 passes were eventually issued to West
Berlin citizens, each pass allowing a one-day visit to
communist East Berlin.
East German officials opened the Berlin Wall on November 9,
1989, allowing travel from East to West Berlin. The following
day, celebrating Germans began to tear the wall down.
One of the ugliest and most infamous symbols of the Cold War
was soon reduced to rubble that was quickly snatched up by
souvenir hunters.
