Berlin Wall Memorial

The Berlin Wall enclosed West Berlin from 13th August 1961 to 9th November 1989, cutting a line through the entire city centre. It was supposed to prevent East Berliners and citizens of East Germany from fleeing to the West, but the Wall was unable to entirely stop the mass of people from fleeing. Consequently, in 1961, the SED, the ruling Communist Party in East Germany, began adding more border fortifications to the Wall, creating a broad, many-layered system of barriers. In the West, people referred to the border strip as the “death strip” because so many people were killed there while trying to flee. With the downfall of East Germany in 1989, the Berlin Wall that the SED had for so long tried to use to maintain its power, also fell. The fall of the Wall marked the definitive end of its dictatorship. The Invalidenpark is located in the district Mitte of Berlin. The park was established 1843 and completely redesigned from 1992 - 1997. In the middle of the park is a water basin which contains the granite sculpture "versunkene Mauer" which translates to "sunken wall". It commemorates the Berlin Wall which was located near this park.