The fall of the Berlin Wall, which occurred on November 9, 1989, signified the end of the Cold War and the division between East and West Germany. The Wall had been a powerful symbol of communist repression and the ideological divide between the Soviet Union and Western democracies since its construction in 1961. Its fall represented a turning point in European history, leading to the reunification of Germany and the collapse of communist regimes across Eastern Europe. This event also heralded a shift towards democracy and economic reform in countries that had been under Soviet influence, ultimately reshaping the political landscape of the continent.