The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, marking a significant turning point in the Cold War and the division of East and West Germany. The Wall, which had stood since 1961, symbolized the broader ideological divide between the communist Eastern Bloc and the capitalist West. Its fall came as East Germany faced mounting protests and pressure for reform amid a wave of change sweeping through Eastern Europe. The event led to the reunification of Germany, completed on October 3, 1990, and served as a catalyst for the end of communist regimes across Central and Eastern Europe, ultimately contributing to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.