The Berlin Wall first went up on August 13, 1961. Erected by East Germany, this barrier was constructed to stop the mass emigration and defection from East to West Berlin, as many citizens sought better opportunities and freedoms in the West. The wall became a powerful symbol of the Cold War, representing the division between communist Eastern Europe and capitalist Western Europe. Its presence led to tensions between the East and West, until its fall in 1989, which marked a significant turning point in history and the eventual end of the Cold War.