The Berlin Wall was a concrete manufacturing firm.
Berlin Wall . Constructed by the German Democratic Republic ( GDR , East Germany ) , starting on 13 August 1961 , the Wall completely cut off ( by land ) West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989 . The Eastern Bloc claimed that the Wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the `` will of the people '' in building a socialist state in East Germany . During this period , around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the Wall , with an estimated death toll ranging from 136 to more than 200 in and around Berlin .