Erected in 1961, the Berlin Wall physically and ideologically divided East and West Berlin, becoming the most prominent symbol of the Cold War era. The German Democratic Republic (East Germany), with the backing of the Soviet Union, constructed the wall to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to the more prosperous West Berlin. Beyond its physical barriers, the Berlin Wall represented the ideological chasm between communist and capitalist systems. For nearly three decades, it stood as a reminder of the world's divisions.