For 28 years the Berlin Wall separated East and West Germany, becoming the emblem of the post-World War II division of Europe.
On Saturday November 9th it will be 35 years since the historic moment back in 1989 when people in the communist East were able to cross the wall freely with no restrictions.
It followed a peaceful revolution by demonstrators in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The historic events paved the way for German reunification almost a year later on October 3rd 1990.
The city of Berlin - and the rest of Germany - is getting ready to mark a significant milestone.
READ ALSO: Six things you need to know about the Berlin Wall
What's happening for the anniversary?
Several events are happening across the city this week, from exhibitions to history tours. You can find information on them here.
Among the highlights is a four kilometre-long open air installation opening on November 8th. Exhibits at seven locations along the route will shed light on different aspects of the peaceful revolution and the fall of the Wall.
There will also be a concert by the ‘Band of Freedom’ on the evening of November 9th, in which hundreds of musicians will play together along the former route of the Wall.
"The aim is to create a four-kilometre-long tapestry of sound that makes the shared togetherness of all participants audible," says the city of Berlin.
Several events will also be held at the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Strasse while an action day called "Revolution! - and then?" on November 10th will feature a concert by Pussy Riot on the Campus for Democracy in Lichtenberg.
A book publication is also planned and a number of copies will be distributed to visitors free of charge.
It's worth noting that November 9th is not usually a date for celebration in Germany because so many other historical events - including the Jewish pogroms that came to be known as Kristallnacht or Night of Broken Glass - took place then.
READ ALSO: Why November 9th is a fateful day in German history
Germans tend to reserve celebrations to mark the Wall fall on the Day of German Unity on October 3rd.
But on milestone occasions, such as the 30th and now the 35th anniversary, events are held on and around November 9th.
READ ALSO: How Berlin marked 30 years of the fall of the Wall
How is travel affected?
Several streets in Berlin-Mitte have been closed since Saturday November 2nd for the celebrations.
The streets affected include Straße des 17. Juni between Ebertstraße and Großer Stern, Yitzhak-Rabin-Straße and Alexanderufer.
Here are the other closures to be aware of:
From 6am on November 2nd:
- Alexanderufer between Margarete-Steffin-Straße and Kapelle-Ufer, closure (until 11/11/2024, 10pm)
- Straße des 17. Juni in the direction of Ernst-Reuter-Platz between Ebertstraße and Großer Stern, closure (until 13/11/2024, 6am)
- Ebertstraße in both directions between Scheidemannstraße and Platz des 18. März, closure (until 13/11/2024, 6am)
- Ebertstraße in the direction of Scheidemannstraße between Behrenstraße and Platz des 18. März, closure (until 13/11/2024, 6am)
- Yitzak-Rabin-Straße, closure (until 13/11/2024, 6am)
From 6am on November 4th:
- Stresemannstraße between Niederkirchnerstraße and Potsdamer Platz, speed limit 30 km/h (until 12/11/2024, 10pm)
- Kapelle-Ufer between Hugo-Preuß-Brücke and Reinhardtstraße, speed limit 30 km/h (until 12 November 2024, 10pm)
- Pariser Platz, closure (until 13/11/2024 10pm)
From 6am on November 5th to 6am on Noveber 9th:
- Zimmerstraße between Axel-Springer-Straße and Wilhelmstraße, closure, crossing at the intersections remains possible
- Jerusalemer Straße between Schützenstraße and Zimmerstraße
- Friedrichstraße between Schützenstraße and Rudi-Dutschke-Straße
From 6pm on November 6th to 6pm on November 10th
- Niederkirchnerstraße, closure
From 6pm on November 7th to 6am on November 11th
- Straße des 17. Juni in both directions between Großer Stern and Brandenburger Tor, closure
- Ebertstraße between Scheidemannstraße and Behrenstraße, closure
On the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, November 9th 2024, the following streets will also be closed from 6am to midnight:
- Zimmerstraße along its entire length
- Markgrafenstraße between Schützenstraße and Rudi-Dutschke-Straße
- Charlottenstraße between Schützenstraße and Rudi-Dutschke-Straße
- Friedrichstraße between Schützenstraße and Rudi-Dutschke-Straße
- Ebertstraße between Scheidemannstraße and Potsdamer Platz
- John-Foster-Dulles-Allee and Scheidemannstraße along the entire length
- Heinrich-von-Hagern-Straße along its entire length
- Dorotheenstraße between Ebertstraße and Wilhelmstraße
- Behrenstraße between Wilhelmstraße and Ebertstraße
- Hannah-Arendt-Straße between Cora-Berliner Straße and Ebertstraße
- Lennéstraße between Auguste-Hauschner-Straße and Ebertstraße
From just after midnight on November 10th to 10pm on November 11th:
- Zimmerstraße between Axel-Springer-Straße and Wilhelmstraße, crossing at the intersections remains possible
- Jerusalemer Straße between Schützenstraße and Zimmerstraße
- Friedrichstraße between Schützenstraße and Rudi-Dutschke-Straße
According to Berlin's traffic information centre, some underground stations are expected to be closed November 8th and November 9th. This may affect the following stations, as well as others:
- Brandenburg Gate
- Potsdamer Platz
- Kochstraße
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