Innerdeutsche Grenze

The Innerdeutsche Grenze, or East German border, was the fortified boundary between the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and West Germany from 1949 to 1990. It was designed to prevent East Germans from defecting westward and involved watchtowers, fences, and landmines. This border symbolized the division of Germany and Cold War tensions, restricting movement and communication between the two sides. Its removal in 1990 marked the reunification of Germany and the end of Cold War hostilities in the region.