11 Of The Berlin Wall's Best Kept-Secrets

The Berlin Wall was the most tangible aspect of the Cold War era, symbolising oppression and dividing Germany’s capital into east and west. Construction began in 1961, and it wasn’t until 1989 that the structure finally crumbled. That much of history is well-known – here are some more obscure facts about the Berlin Wall.

The initial proposal to build a wall was rejected

Although the Berlin Wall remains the most iconic symbol of the Cold War, it was only erected some 15 years into the battle of opposing ideologies. Over two million East Germans moved to West Berlin between 1949 and 1961, with the original proposal of building a wall to keep people in being rejected. After an unprecedented ‘brain drain’ of inhabitants, Soviet leaders eventually changed their mind.

A wintery view of the Berlin Wall from above

The Berlin Wall was made up of two walls

There were some great escapes

People managed to escape the fortified barrier in the most amazing and creative ways. One notable escape was in 1963 by Horst Klein, an East German acrobat who used a high-tension cable to tightrope over the wall, well above the heads of the patrolling guards. Other daring methods of escape included a hot air balloon a zip line, and casually flashing the guards a Playboy club card that closely resembled a diplomat’s pass.

Even border guards wanted to flee

Hollywood often portrays the border control guards as austere and soulless machines who did as they were told, fully obedient to the East German regime. In actual fact many of these guards would try to escape themselves, using their uniform as a way to get into West Berlin without any questions being asked. In the first two years of the wall’s existence, more than 1,300 desperate guards escaped their oppressed lives and duties by fleeing to the west.

East German guard Conrad Schumann jumps to freedom in West Berlin

The rabbits of the Berlin Wall

For 28 years, the harrowing strip of land known as the ‘death strip’, became a safety zone for thousands of wild rabbits whose population flourished there.

Lives lost

According to the Centre for Research on Contemporary History Potsdam and the Berlin Wall Memorial Site and Documentation Centre, it is estimated that 138 people died trying to cross the Berlin Wall.

Berlin’s ghost stations

When Germany was divided, the beloved U-Bahn (underground subway) transported border traffic between former West Germany and the GDR. However, many of the borders between east and west were quite random, and some U-Bahn lines coming from West Berlin would actually travel under East Berlin. As a result, it became strictly enforced that passengers could not get off the train until it reached West Berlin again. These stops in forbidden land became known among locals as ‘ghost stations’.

The Wall started crumbling in Budapest

In 1989, six months before Berliners began to chip and smash away at the Wall, Hungary had opened its border with Austria. This in turn lead to the mass exodus of thousands of East Germans to what was then Czechoslovakia – so it was actually Budapest that made the first crack in the lead-up to dismantling the Berlin Wall.

It went up as quickly as it came down

Both the construction and tearing down of the wall happening in a matter of days. When it was erected, people literally woke up one morning to find a barricade being laid down, which continued to be fortified over the next weeks. At the fall of the wall, travel restrictions were immediately lifted, sparking an instant mass migration of thousands of people.

1. There's more than just Checkpoint Charlie

Today, Checkpoint Charlie – the most famous border control point during the time of the Wall – is seen by many as a tourist trap. Located in the centre of Mitte, it is crowded by neon signage, and actors dressed as soldiers, asking for money from willing tourists to have their photo taken with them. Avoid the crowds and head instead to Bernauer Straße, the only place in the where you can still see an actual part of the Wall, its fortifications, floodlights and a section of the infamous death strip.

Historic photo of Checkpoint Charlie | © popo.uw23/Flickr

Fancy your own piece of Wall?

After the Wall was dismantled, many people kept pieces of it as souvenirs, which you can even buy today on eBay.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.