Fall of the Berlin Wall

Definition

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 symbolized the end to divisions between East and West Germany, leading to German reunification. It marked a significant point in the ending stages of Cold War.

Analogy

Imagine if your school had a wall dividing two groups who were kept apart due to differences enforced by authorities. One day, that wall is torn down and everyone can mingle freely again. That's what happened when Berlin Wall fell - it reunited families, friends and an entire nation divided by ideologies.

Related terms

Iron Curtain: A term popularized by Winston Churchill describing the ideological boundary separating Communist Eastern Europe from Western Europe during Cold War.

German Reunification: The process in 1990 where socialist East Germany was disbanded and absorbed into Federal Republic of Germany following fall of Berlin Wall.

Checkpoint Charlie: A crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during Cold War, often used as a symbol for separation and later unification.