The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in 1961 to separate East Berlin from West Berlin. It was a concrete manifestation of the ideological and political divisions between the Eastern Bloc, led by the Soviet Union, and the Western Bloc, led by the United States and its allies. The construction of the Wall was a result of increasing tensions between the two superpowers during the Cold War.

One of the significant purposes of the Berlin Wall was to prevent East Berliners from defecting to West Berlin. Prior to its construction, around 2.5 million East Germans had fled to the West, causing a brain drain and economic instability in the Soviet-controlled Eastern Bloc. The Wall became a symbol of the Iron Curtain and the division of Germany, with its fortified border and multiple checkpoints manned by armed guards.

The construction of the Berlin Wall had a profound impact on the lives of Berliners. Families and friends were separated overnight, and individuals found themselves unable to freely travel between the two parts of the city. The Wall brought about a drastic change in the daily lives of people, as they had to adapt to a new reality of restricted movement and limited communication.

The Berlin Wall stood for nearly three decades, becoming a prominent symbol of the Cold War. It represented the physical and ideological divide between capitalist Western societies and communist Eastern regimes. Its fall in 1989 following a wave of pro-democracy protests and political changes marked the end of the Cold War era and the reunification of Germany.