When the Wall was built on August 13, 1961, Bernauer Strasse became a symbol of Berlin’s division. The closure of the border had dramatic implications here because the facades of the apartment buildings on the East Berlin side of the street formed the boundary between East and West. The sidewalk in front already belonged to West Berlin. When the border closed, families, friends and neighbours were brutally cut-off from one another. Unforgettable dramatic escapes took place from the buildings here. Entire families dared to leap from windows to freedom until the entire residential blocks were walled up. About 2000 residents were forced to resettle elsewhere.

The permanent exhibition “Berlin, August 13, 1961” provides information about the building of the Wall. The exhibition presents historical photos and documents and includes listening stations. Two outdoor exhibits with information about the Wall’s construction and the city’s division are on display on Ackerstrasse. A smaller one is found on Schwedter Strasse. They are accessible both day and night. The Berlin Wall Memorial offers seminars, project days and discussions with people who participated in these historical events. Tours in various languages are available by appointment. Tours for school groups are free of charge.

“The Wall must come down!” people demanded after the border opened. Few could appreciate the call to preserve pieces of the Berlin Wall as a monument. On August 13, 1998, following long debates, the national “Monument to Preserve the Memory of the Division of the City and to Commemorate the Victims of Communist Tyranny” was officially opened. The Documentation Centre housing the exhibition on the building of the Wall, the Chapel of Reconciliation and the viewing platform were added later. The memorial was developed by the Berlin Wall Association. It became part of the Berlin Wall Foundation in 2009.