On December 22, 1989, the Berlin Wall, a symbol of Cold War division between East and West Germany, was officially brought down. This followed weeks of mass protests and political pressure on the East German government. The wall had divided the city of Berlin for nearly 30 years, separating families and restricting movement between East and West. Its fall signaled the beginning of the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe and marked a turning point in the Cold War. The event led to German reunification and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.