The purpose of the Berlin Wall's construction in 1961 was to stop the mass emigration of East Germans to West Germany. After World War II, Germany had been divided into East and West, and many East Germans sought refuge in the capitalist West, leading to a brain drain that threatened the stability of the East German government. The Wall, erected by East Germany, physically and ideologically divided the city, symbolizing the Cold War divide between communist and capitalist ideologies. It remained a potent symbol of oppression and division until its fall in 1989.