August 13, 1961Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Berlin Wall Is Built
On the timeline · around August 13, 1961 ·
What happened
To stop the flood of refugees escaping to the West, East Germany, on Soviet orders, sealed the border in Berlin overnight with barbed wire — soon replaced by a concrete wall with guard towers. The Berlin Wall physically divided the city for 28 years.
Why it matters
The Wall became the defining symbol of the Cold War and of a divided Europe, halting the exodus from the East at the cost of imprisoning its people.
Sources
- Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. The Berlin Crises, 1958–1961 · Reputable source
- Imperial War Museums. What Was The Berlin Wall And How Did It Fall? · Reputable source