The event that characterized the beginning of widespread political change in Eastern Europe in 1989 was the Fall of the Berlin Wall. This pivotal moment symbolized the collapse of communist regimes across the region, leading to the reunification of Germany and a wave of democratic movements in countries like Poland and Hungary. The fall represented not only the physical dismantling of a barrier but also the ideological shift away from totalitarianism in favor of democracy and individual freedoms. This political upheaval set the stage for lasting changes in European politics and contributed to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union.