Germany commemorates 50th anniversary of the Berlin Wall

A powerful, physical symbol of the Cold War, the Berlin Wall was the barrier that isolated East from West Berlin for almost 30 years. 50 years later, Germany is commemorating the historic anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall built in 1961. The wall was built to decrease the activity of Germans moving from Communist East Berlin to Capitalist West Berlin. Upon its completion the wall stood 12 feet high and 28 miles long.

Want to commemorate for this historic anniversary? Here are a few suggestions.

• The Berlin Wall Memorial has the largest remaining sections of both sides of the wall, along with a documentation center, and memorials for the many that died trying to escape East Berlin.
• Documenting life in East Berlin both during and after the Berlin Wall, the German Historic Museum is hosting an exhibit with photography by Thomas Hoepker and Daniel Biskup, two West German photographers.
• Download the Mauer guide app, which allows you to walk the wall by offering GPS directions along its original path. It also offers interesting historical & political info, along with video clips and interviews

Learn about the history of the Berlin Wall: