The wall between East and West Berlin was 11-13 feet high and stretched 28 miles.
It also encircled the city of West Berlin and stretched approximately 100 miles.
Buildings behind the barriers were demolished, and the wide open area became known as “no man’s land” or the “death strip,” where guards in more than 300 sentry towers could shoot anyone trying to escape.
Wires and mines were buried underneath the surface to prevent escape attempts; pipes on top of the wall prevented it from being scaled.
Over 100,000 people attempt to escape over the wall. Between 5,000 and 10,000 succeeded.
–
November 9, 1989 – East Germany lifts travel restrictions to the West. Politburo member Guenter Schabowski announces that East German citizens can “leave the country through East German border crossing points,” effective immediately.
November 9-10, 1989 – Jubilant crowds tear down the wall piece by piece.
November 10, 1989 – Several new crossing points are opened, and tens of thousands of people cross over into West Berlin.
October 3, 1990 – East and West Germany are officially reunited under the name the Federal Republic of Germany.
