Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Date
- 9 November 1989
- Category
- Politics & governance
- Region
- Central Europe (Germany)
- Era
- Contemporary
- Significance
On the evening of 9 November 1989, the Berlin Wall — the most potent physical symbol of the Cold War division of Europe — was opened.
Earlier that day, East German official Günter Schabowski announced at a press conference that travel restrictions would be eased "effective immediately," prompting crowds to mass at the checkpoints. Around 22:45–23:30, overwhelmed border guards at the Bornholmer Straße crossing yielded and allowed East Berliners through with little or no checking, and the other crossings soon followed. East and West Berliners celebrated atop and around the Wall. The opening followed weeks of mass protests and emigration in East Germany and the Soviet decision not to intervene. It accelerated the collapse of the East German state, became the defining image of the Revolutions of 1989, and set German reunification in motion within a year.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Empires active in 9 November 1989
- Soviet Union1922 CE – 1991 CE
- British Empire1583 CE – 1997 CE
- Portuguese Empire1415 CE – 1999 CE
- Yugoslavia1918 CE – 1992 CE
Related politics & governance events
- German reunification3 October 1990
- Revolutions of 1989 across Eastern Europe1989 (Autumn of Nations)
- Dissolution of the Soviet UnionAugust–December 1991
- Gorbachev's glasnost and perestroika1985–1991 (from 11 March 1985)
- The end of apartheid and Nelson Mandela's election in South Africa27 April 1994 (election); 10 May 1994 (inauguration)
- Iranian RevolutionJanuary–February 1979
Further reading
If you read one book
The Collapse: The Accidental Opening of the Berlin Wall
Gripping account of the night the Wall fell.
Get it on Amazon →Also worth reading
- The Year that Changed the World: The Untold Story Behind the Fall of the Berlin Wall — Amazon →
The Year that Changed the World: The Untold Story Behind the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Newsweek bureau chief's eyewitness account of 1989 across the collapsing Eastern Bloc.
Get it on Amazon → - 1989: The Struggle to Create Post-Cold War Europe — Amazon →
1989: The Struggle to Create Post-Cold War Europe
Readable narrative of the diplomacy that reshaped Europe as the Wall fell.
Get it on Amazon →
As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.