German wall

After the end of the second world war, Berlin was a divided city controlled by the four major allied powers. Despite the different zones of control, people could move freely between them. However, on August 13, 1961, the East German government decided to end the free travel of Berliners by building a wall around West Berlin. For 28 years, the wall defined the city and served as a metaphor for the entire Cold War. Learn more about the Berlin Wall on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily

A poll by the Institute for Market Research in Leipzig, found nearly one in five eastern Germans agreed it would have been better if the Berlin Wall had never fallen.

The Berlin Wall that once divided the German capital has since become one of its most intriguing attractions drawing millions of tourists from around the world.

Photos -- most of which never ran in LIFE magazine -- of the earliest days of the brutal divide and ultimate Cold War symbol.

Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; Berlin, Germany; November 9; Fall occurred on Nov. 9, 1989. The wall was built on Aug. 13, 1961, to prevent East Germans from fleeing their then-communist country. The fall was an event of high rejoicing that invigorated both halves of the city.

Approximately 2 kilometers of the Berlin Wall remains today. The longest section is the East Side Gallery, with murals painted by artists from around the world.

One of the most defining moments of the 20th century occurred on this day in Berlin in 1989 when freedom loving East Germans stormed the che...