What was the Berlin Wall and why was it built?

Answer 1

The Berlin Wall was a barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was constructed by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) to prevent people from East Berlin from fleeing to West Berlin, which was controlled by Western powers. The wall was built to stop the mass emigration of East Germans to the West, as the East German government was losing large numbers of skilled workers and professionals to the more prosperous Western countries. The Berlin Wall became a symbol of the Cold War and the division between East and West.