After the defeat of the Nazis in 1945, Britain, France, the USA and the Soviet Union divided Germany into administrative zones.
Berlin is located in eastern Germany which was controlled by the Soviets. It was also divided into four sections controlled by the four countries. East Berlin belonged to the Soviets.
Initially the Germans could move freely. But when the tensions between the West and the Soviets started, so did the restrictions.
The Germans preferred to move into Western territory, which forced the Soviets to build the 155-kilometer wall that separated the city.
After that at least 140 people were killed trying to get to the other side between 1961 and 1989.
In the same year, communism began to collapse in various European countries such as Poland and Hungary, and the Soviet army began to withdraw from states it controlled.
Thus, in 1989, the wall was demolished, which also marked the end of the Cold War.
[Source: http://www.gr.euronews.com]
