The Berlin Wall, also known as Berliner Mauer in German, was a security structure that formed part of the border between West and East Germany from August 1961 to November 1989. Its construction divided the city of Berlin into two parts: West Berlin, belonging to the Federal Republic of Germany, and East Berlin, capital of the German Democratic Republic. This wall, known as the most iconic symbol of the Cold War and German separation, was called the Anti-Fascist Protection Wall by the GDR and the Wall of Shame by the West.

The stated purpose by the Eastern bloc, led by the Soviet Union, was to protect its population from alleged fascist elements plotting against socialism in East Germany. The wall, which was 45 kilometers long in the city and another 115 kilometers around its western part, became a state border between the GDR and West Berlin. During its existence, the exact number of people who died trying to cross it to the western side is unknown, although it is estimated that there were more than 200, including landmine victims.

The construction of the wall was a response to the intensification of the Cold War and the increase in emigration from the GDR to the FRG, seen as a threat to the socialist system. The fall of the wall in November 1989 marked the end of an era and was a direct result of demands for freedom of movement in East Germany and popular pressure. This event, known as "The Wende," led to significant changes in European geopolitics and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.