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On 13 August 1961 residents of Berlin awaken to find 43 kilometres of barbed wire fencing splitting their city in two.

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The Communist East German government, concerned about the exodus of East Berliners fleeing to the democratic West, decides to completely close the border between divided Germany.

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Without warning, families are divided, people are cut off from their friends, their schools, their places of employment, health care, recreation and worship.

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Over the coming months and years, the fence becomes a 3.6 metre-high concrete wall reinforced with watch towers, armed guards, attack dogs, mines, and traps. It runs through suburbs, streets, parks and rivers, dividing families, cutting through the heart of the city.

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A further 1,393 kilometres of fences, walls, fortifications, dogs, and minefields form the Inner German Border dividing the entire nation in two. Whole villages that stand in the way are destroyed. Communities are divided from each other.

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East German border guards have orders to shoot anyone who attempts to cross the no-mans land between the two countries.

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Over the coming years thousands of refugees seeking freedom from political oppression will risk their lives to cross the border. They scale fences, jump out of windows, hide in vehicles, dig tunnels, attempt hot air balloon flights, swim miles through the freezing Baltic to reach freedom.

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Nearly a thousand people will die in the attempt. In Berlin itself, almost 200 people are shot dead in attempts to cross the wall.

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1 November 1989

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Political reform throughout other parts of Communist Europe sparks hopes among East Germans that their own government will take steps to restore liberty and democracy. Change in the political leadership further fans this small glimmer of hope.

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4 November 1989

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Over half a million East Germans gather at the Alexanderplatz to rally for political change in East Berlin. It is the first time in forty years that a free public protest has been tolerated by the authorities.

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Protests continue in both the east and the west calling for one united Germany. Reforms in Hungary and Czechoslovakia begin allowing East Germans through their borders, weakening the internal German border.

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8 November 1989

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The East German government meets and decides to begin lifting the strict controls on border crossing although the precise date of effect is not clear.

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9 November 1989

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The government spokesman, not properly briefed, mistakenly tells the media that the borders are immediately opened.

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The citizens of Berlin flock to the Wall and demand that guards open the gates. The guards, not informed of any changes, wait tensely for orders that do not come. None is willing to fire on the excited crowd.

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At 10.45pm they simply yield to the call and open the gates. Easterners pour through in jubilation and are met with open arms and wild rejoicing on the other side.

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By midnight people from both sides have climbed on to the wall an action which days previously would have resulted in being shot to dance and sing and celebrate.

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In the following days, ordinary people descend on the wall with chisels and sledgehammers to begin tearing it down as soon as possible.

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Holes are chipped away until strangers can reach through to join hands and celebrate the reunification of their city.

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11 November 1989

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Millions of East Germans flood in to Berlin.

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West Berliners open their homes to welcome strangers. Wild with freedom, all of Berlin celebrates. The communist government falls without bloodshed.

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Less than a year later Germany is reunified and fully democratic.

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A week is a long time.

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Today, a 760 kilometre wall of concrete, barbed wire, and armed guards runs through the West Bank dividing it from Israel in contravention of international law and in violation of human rights.

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Without warning, families are divided, people are cut off from their land, their friends, their schools, their places of employment, health care, recreation and worship. It runs through suburbs, streets, parks and rivers, dividing families, cutting through the heart of the city. Communities are divided from each other.

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But a week is a long time.

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