The German Democratic Republic started to build the "Antifascistischer Schutzwall" wall, which was built with barbed wire and concrete, on August 13, 1961. The Berlin wall was built between East and West Berlin. The purpose of the Berlin Wall was to keep the Western fascists from entering Germany and damaging their state. They did not want the fascists to invade their territory. On November 9, 1989, the leader of the East German Communist Party announced that these people could cross the border (Berlin Wall). That night, some people came to cross the wall freely, but some people brought hammers to destroy the wall. Today, the wall still stands as a symbolic symbol of freedom.