The reason for the introduction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 was to stop the mass emigration of East Germans to West Germany, which was causing a significant loss of skilled labor and creating economic challenges for the East German government. The Eastern Bloc countries, under Soviet influence, viewed this exodus as a threat to their stability and legitimacy. The Wall, erected overnight on August 13, 1961, physically and ideologically divided East and West Berlin, symbolizing the broader division of Europe during the Cold War. It restricted movement, leading to hardships for many families and people living in East Germany, and became a potent symbol of Cold War tensions.