On June 30, 1990, the physical dismantling of the Berlin Wall began after years of growing pressure from citizens of East Germany and the international community. The wall had been a symbol of the Cold War, dividing East and West Berlin since 1961. The fall of the wall in late 1989 marked the end of communist rule in East Germany and the reunification of Germany. The dismantling process on June 30, 1990, symbolized the end of the division and the beginning of the new era of European unity. The reunification of Germany had significant implications for the end of the Cold War.