Berlin was 70% destroyed in World War II. Berlin was in shambles for years after the war. The country was divided into sectors controlled by England, France, USA and the Soviet Union. The area occupied by the Soviet Union is known as East Germany. Although Berlin was in East Germany, it was also divided into sectors. On August 13, 1961, the sectors controlled by the Allied Powers were walled in by East Germany. On June 13, 1990, the official dismantling of the wall began.
The wall (Berliner Mauer) no longer separates political boundaries. Today the wall is synonymous with history, tourism and graffiti (as well as many other extrinsic tropes). This wall is unique from other historically significant walls for its continual importance. Berliner's (and tourists) are legally allowed to express themselves on the wall. The wall is a true palimpsest to the last 50 years of history and will continue to be so.
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