Berlin Wall

Remains of the wall in Niederkirchnerstrasse- Photo: Gaute Nordvik

The Berlin Wall became a symbol of the Cold War. The building of the wall that separated Berlin started in 1961. The wall was an effective solution to prevent people to defect to the west. The wall was not tore down until at the end of 1989.

Friluftsutstilling i Niederkirchnerstrasse langs restene av Berlinmuren

Defection
The Berlin Wall became the most important mean to the East-German authorities to prevent defection to the West. During the time period 1949-1962 more than 2.5 million people escaped from the East to the West. This quickly became a big threat to the communist regime with severe economical and political consequences. These problems almost disappeared after the wall was built. In the period from 1962 - 1989 only about 5000 persons managed to escape East-Germany.

The remains of the wall
It is not much of the Berlin Wall that remains in Berlin. In Niederkirchnerstrasse there is a 200 meter long piece that still remains intact. This part of the wall is preserved to show the earlier separation of east and west Berlin, and is today protected as an important historical monument. Along the remains of the wall there is today an outdoor exhibit with pictures and documents from the history of the wall.

More information and the location of the remains of the Berlin Wall

Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 8, 10963 Berlin

www.topographie.de - More information about the remains of the wall

Find the wall on the map >>