By 1949, Germany had become two separate countries - The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany), run by the Allies, and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), run by the Soviet Union and although Berlin was in East Germany, as the capital it was also shared between Britain, France, America and the Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall was East Germany's way of keeping East Germans from fleeing into the West.
The Wall divided friends, families and loved ones, causing people on both sides to lose their jobs and livelihoods if trapped on the wrong side.
For the 28 years it stood, up to 200 people are believed to have died trying to cross the Wall, although estimates vary. Many lost their lives along the heavily fortified “death strip”, which contained anti-vehicle trenches, barbed wire and beds of nails under blinding floodlights.
Throughout the time of the Wall's standing, East Berliners became increasingly frustrated at the prosperity and freedom offered across the border and denied from themselves, and following revolutions against the Soviet Union elsewhere, they began to demand free passage to the West.
With protests culminating on the night of 9 November, confused guards opened the gates at approximately 10.45pm after East Berlin's Communist party spokesman, Günter Schabowski had announced that passage would be allowed "immediately" earlier in the evening.
Though protesters began dismantling parts of the Wall during the night, its official demolition did not get underway until summer 1990.
The Google Doodle shows a video depicting the joyous scenes as West Berliners greet their Eastern counterparts on the night in 1989, before showing parts of the Wall in their new homes around the globe, in the likes of London, Seoul, Cape Town and Madrid.
Watch the following video and answer the questions below
- Explain how the anniversary is going to be celebrated in Berlin.
- What portion of the Berlin wall still stands?
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