What Happened in 1989: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

If you are preparing for the German citizenship test (Einbürgerungstest), you need to understand 1989. This year changed Germany forever. The Berlin Wall fell. East and West Germany became one country again. This article explains what happened — and which test questions you need to know.

What Was the Berlin Wall?

The Berlin Wall divided Germany's capital city for 28 years. The government of East Germany (GDR — Deutsche Demokratische Republik) built it in August 1961. The purpose was simple: to stop people from leaving.

Between 1949 and 1961, more than two million people left East Germany for the West. The communist government could not accept this. So they built a wall — first barbed wire, then concrete. It was 155 kilometers long. It cut through the middle of Berlin. Families were separated overnight. People who tried to cross were shot. At least 140 people died at the Wall.

BAMF Test — Question 151: "Who built the wall in Berlin?" — Answer: the GDR (East Germany).

The World That Created Divided Germany

To understand the Wall, you need to know what happened after World War II. In 1945, Germany was defeated. The Allied powers — the USA, the UK, France, and the Soviet Union — divided Germany into four zones.

The Western zones became West Germany. The Soviet zone became East Germany. Berlin, located inside East Germany, was also split in two.

This division was part of the Cold War — the global conflict between the democratic West and the communist East. During this same period, the newly founded United Nations shaped the post-war world in other ways too. A 1947 UN resolution created the legal foundation for the state of Israel, which was established in 1948.

BAMF Test — Question 184: "On what legal basis was the state of Israel founded?" — Answer: a resolution of the United Nations.

Resistance in the GDR: June 17, 1953

Life in East Germany was controlled. The government decided what people could read, say, and where they could travel. Citizens had very few rights.

On June 17, 1953, East German workers went on strike. They protested against higher work quotas and the authoritarian regime. The protests spread across the country. Soviet tanks arrived to end the uprising. More than 50 people died.

In West Germany, June 17 became a public holiday. It was a day to remember those who stood up for freedom in the East.

BAMF Test — Question 186: "In 1953 there was an uprising in the GDR. When was it?" — Answer: June 17.

The Monday Demonstrations of 1989

By 1989, the pressure inside East Germany had become too great. Citizens wanted change. They wanted to travel freely. They wanted honest elections. They wanted to speak without fear.

Starting in September 1989, people gathered every Monday evening in Leipzig. These peaceful marches became known as the Monday Demonstrations (Montagsdemonstrationen). People carried candles. They did not use violence.

Their famous chant was: "Wir sind das Volk" — We are the people.

On October 9, 1989, around 70,000 people joined the Leipzig march. This was the largest protest East Germany had ever seen. The government considered using force to stop it — but it did not. That Monday was the turning point.

BAMF Test — Question 166: "During which demonstrations in Germany did people chant 'Wir sind das Volk'?" — Answer: during the Monday Demonstrations in 1989 in the GDR.

November 9 — Two Dates That Changed Germany

November 9 appears twice in German history. Both dates matter for the citizenship test.

November 9, 1938 — The Pogromnacht

On this night in 1938, the National Socialists organized a violent attack across Germany. Jewish shops, homes, and synagogues were destroyed. Thousands of Jewish people were arrested. Dozens were killed. This night is known as the Kristallnacht or Reichspogromnacht.

It is one of the darkest nights in German history — and a central part of understanding how the Nazi regime worked.

BAMF Test — Question 164: "What happened on November 9, 1938 in Germany?" — Answer: Jewish shops and synagogues were destroyed by National Socialists and their supporters.

November 9, 1989 — The Wall Opens

Fifty-one years later, on the same date, something extraordinary happened. At a press conference in East Berlin, government spokesperson Günter Schabowski announced that East Germans could travel freely to the West — effective immediately.

The news spread fast. Thousands of people went to the border checkpoints. Border guards were overwhelmed. They had no orders. That evening, the gates opened.

East Berliners streamed into West Berlin. People embraced strangers in the streets. They climbed on top of the Wall. They knocked it down with hammers.

The Cold War in Germany was over.

German reunification followed on October 3, 1990 — now Germany's national holiday (Tag der Deutschen Einheit).

Key Facts at a Glance

Fact	Detail
Who built the Wall?	The GDR (East Germany), 1961
Why was it built?	To stop people from leaving East Germany
June 17, 1953	Workers' uprising in the GDR, ended by Soviet tanks
"Wir sind das Volk"	Chant at the 1989 Monday Demonstrations in Leipzig
November 9, 1938	Pogromnacht — Nazi destruction of Jewish property
November 9, 1989	The Berlin Wall opens; East Germans travel freely
October 3, 1990	German reunification — now a national holiday
Israel founded	Based on a United Nations resolution (1947)

Practice These Questions for the Citizenship Test

The German Einbürgerungstest has 460 official questions. Several cover this period in history:

• Question 151: Who built the wall in Berlin?
• Question 164: What happened on November 9, 1938 in Germany?
• Question 166: During which demonstrations did people chant "Wir sind das Volk"?
• Question 184: On what legal basis was the state of Israel founded?
• Question 186: When was the 1953 uprising in the GDR?

Ready for the test? Practice all 460 questions with explanations in your language — start with the trainer or see our plans.

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This article is for information purposes only, not legal advice.