Berlin Wall, November 1989. Image: Yann / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.
Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
After the Second World War, Germany was divided, and Berlin was also split. In 1961, East German authorities built the Berlin Wall to stop people leaving East Berlin for the West. Families and friends were separated. Some people attempted dangerous escapes. By the late 1980s, political pressure was growing across Eastern Europe. On 9 November 1989, confused announcements about new travel rules led crowds to border crossings. Guards eventually opened the barriers. People celebrated on the Wall and began breaking pieces from it. German reunification followed in 1990.
