The infamous structure built in Berlin to divide East and West Germany was the Berlin Wall. Constructed in August 1961, it served as a physical manifestation of the Iron Curtain that separated communist Eastern Europe from the democratic West during the Cold War. The Wall was erected to prevent East Germans from fleeing to West Berlin and symbolized the geopolitical tensions of the era. Its existence lasted until November 9, 1989, when it was dismantled, marking a significant point in the decline of communism in Eastern Europe and paving the way for German reunification.