Berlin Wall 1989: What Really Happened

Many people search for "what happened in Germany in 1989." Maybe you saw the term "Mauerfall" and did not know what it meant. Maybe you are studying for the German citizenship test and need clear facts. This article explains 1989 in simple steps. You will also learn the exact test questions about this topic.

What Happened in 1989? A Short Answer

In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. East Germans could travel to West Germany for the first time in 28 years. This event started the end of a divided Germany. One year later, in 1990, East and West Germany became one country again.

Who Built the Berlin Wall?

The test asks: "Who built the Wall in Berlin?" The answer is the DDR (East Germany).

The DDR built the Wall in 1961. Before 1961, many East Germans left for the West. They wanted more freedom and a better economy. The DDR government wanted to stop this. So they built a wall through Berlin. Families were separated overnight. Many people never saw their relatives again until 1989.

The Monday Demonstrations: "We Are the People"

By 1989, many East Germans were unhappy. The economy was weak. People had no free press and no free elections. So they started to protest.

These protests happened every Monday. People called them "Montagsdemonstrationen" (Monday demonstrations). The biggest protests were in the city of Leipzig.

The test asks: "At which demonstrations did people shout 'We are the people'?" The answer: at the Monday demonstrations in the DDR in 1989.

This slogan was powerful. It meant the government did not represent the people anymore. Thousands of people said this together, without weapons. This is called a peaceful revolution.

November 9, 1989: The Night the Wall Fell

On November 9, 1989, an East German official made a mistake in a press conference. He said that new travel rules would start "immediately." This was not planned.

Thousands of East Berliners went to the border that same night. They wanted to cross. The border guards had no clear orders. So they opened the gates.

People from East and West Berlin met at the Wall. They celebrated together. Some people climbed on the Wall. Others started to break it with hammers. This night changed German history.

Do Not Confuse the Dates: November 9, 1938

November 9 is an important date in German history, but not only for 1989. The test also asks about November 9, 1938.

The question: "What happened on November 9, 1938, in Germany?"

The answer: Nazis and their supporters destroyed Jewish shops and synagogues. This event is called "Reichspogromnacht" (Night of Broken Glass).

These are two very different events on the same date. One was a night of violence against Jewish people in 1938. The other was a peaceful celebration of freedom in 1989. The test wants you to know both dates and both meanings.

Another Test Date: The 1953 Uprising

The fall of the Wall in 1989 was not the first protest in East Germany. There was an earlier uprising in 1953.

The test asks: "In 1953, there was an uprising in the DDR. For a long time, West Germany had a holiday for this event. When was it?"

The answer: June 17.

Workers in East Berlin protested against hard working conditions. Soviet tanks stopped the protest. For many years, West Germany remembered this day with a public holiday. Today, October 3 is the national holiday instead. October 3 marks German unity in 1990.

One More Test Question: Israel and the UN

The citizenship test also includes a different history question, about Israel.

The question: "On what legal basis was the state of Israel founded?"

The answer: a resolution of the United Nations.

This question is not connected to 1989. But it appears in the same history section of the test. So it is good to know it too.

Why This History Topic Matters for the Test

The Leben-in-Deutschland test includes many questions about German history. It is a legal requirement for naturalization. The legal basis is § 10 Abs. 1 Nr. 7 StAG. You need a good general understanding of these events to pass.

Quick Overview of the Questions in This Article

Question	Topic	Answer
Q151	Who built the Berlin Wall?	the DDR
Q166	Where did people shout "We are the people"?	Monday demonstrations 1989
Q164	What happened on Nov 9, 1938?	Nazis destroyed Jewish shops and synagogues
Q186	When was the 1953 DDR uprising?	June 17
Q184	Legal basis for the founding of Israel?	a UN resolution

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