64 years after the Wall was built: Berlin remembers the victims and escape attempts

64 years after the Wall was built: Berlin remembers the victims and escape attempts

On August 13, 2025, the building of the Wall 64 years ago in Berlin and Brandenburg will be remembered. Many people gather to remember the countless victims who lost their lives because of their attempts to escape during the division of Germany. A central element of the commemoration takes place at the memorial on Bernauer Strasse, where memories of the dark history are kept alive. How rbb24 reported, in addition to a prayer service in the Chapel of Reconciliation, a wreath-laying ceremony by the Governing Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) is also expected.

A particularly moving moment will be the wreath-laying at the memorial stele for Peter Fechter. Fechter was shot while trying to escape in 1962 and is still considered a symbolic figure for all those who died at the Wall. His tragic story continues to be told impressively at the memorial on Kreuzberger Zimmerstrasse, where he tried to overcome the wall, as is the page berlin.de notes.

Various commemorative events

Overall, there are various events on the program to commemorate the victims of the Wall. There will be a central memorial service in the afternoon at 3 p.m. in Seeburg, a district of the former border community of Dallgow-Döberitz. State Parliament President Ulrike Liedtke (SPD) and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Crumbach (BSW) are also prominently expected here.

• 13 Uhr: Gedenken am Mauerdenkmal Griebnitzsee in Potsdam.
• 14 Uhr: Gedenken an der Glienicker Brücke.
• 17:30 Uhr: Gedenken am Denkmal an der “Steinernen Brücke” in Schönwalde-Siedlung.

The construction of the Wall was initiated on August 13, 1961 by the GDR leadership in order to prevent the border crossing into West Berlin and to stop the refugee movements. The SED designed the building as a necessary “anti-fascist protective wall” to protect itself from supposed dangers from the West. In fact, since the two German states were founded in 1949, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the GDR, which has led to a noticeable labor shortage in the country. In its more than 28 years of existence, the wall claimed more than 140 lives, while hundreds were injured or arrested.

The stories of the many people who lost their lives at the Wall will never be forgotten. Commemorative events like this are crucial to keeping memories alive and never forgetting the lessons of that time. The significance of the memorials goes beyond individual fate and has deeper roots in the history of Germany and Europe.