The Berlin Wall (1961–1989)

The Berlin Wall was a 155 km (96 mile) physical barrier that completely encircled West Berlin from August 13, 1961, to November 9, 1989.

1. Construction and Dimensions

Initial Phase: Barbed wire fences were erected overnight on August 13, 1961.
The Fourth Generation (Grenzmauer 75): Installed starting in 1975, this was the iconic concrete wall.
- Height: 3.6 meters (11.8 ft).
- Width: 1.2 meters (3.9 ft).
- Components: Reinforced concrete with a smooth pipe on top to prevent gripping.

2. The "Death Strip"

The barrier was not a single wall but a complex system including:

Hinterland Wall: A second wall 30 to 100 meters inside East Berlin.
Signals: Tripwires and "Stalin’s Grass" (steel spikes hidden in the sand).
Surveillance: 302 watchtowers, 20 bunkers, and 259 dog runs.
Control: A wide strip of raked sand to make footprints visible.

3. Casualties and Escapes

Deaths: The Potsdam Center for Contemporary History (ZZF) confirms at least 140 deaths at the Wall between 1961 and 1989. The first victim was Ida Siekmann (Aug 22, 1961); the last was Chris Gueffroy (Feb 6, 1989).
Successful Escapes: Approximately 5,000 people successfully escaped, including 57 who crawled through "Tunnel 57" in 1964.

4. Diplomatic Milestones

1963: John F. Kennedy visits the Wall: "Two thousand years ago, the proudest boast was 'civis Romanus sum.' Today, in the world of freedom, the proudest boast is 'Ich bin ein Berliner.'"
1987: Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate: "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace... Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

5. The Fall: November 9, 1989

Triggered by a bungled press conference by GDR official Günter Schabowski, who incorrectly stated that travel regulations were effective "immediately."

Checkpoint Bornholmer Straße: At 11:30 PM, Harald Jäger, the officer in charge, opened the gates without orders to prevent a violent crush of the 20,000 people gathered.
Demolition: The military began formal demolition of the Wall in June 1990, finishing by 1992. Today, only three sections remain: the East Side Gallery, the Bernauer Straße memorial, and the Niederkirchnerstraße section.