History Today: How fall of the Berlin Wall shaped modern Germany

The Berlin Wall, which stood as a symbol of the Cold War, dividing East and West Berlin for 28 years, was opened for the first time on November 9, 1989. The wall was erected in 1961 by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).

On this day in 1938, a violent wave of anti-Jewish massacres broke out in Nazi Germany and Austria, which is popularly known as Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass.” In India, Uttarakhand came into existence after carving it out of the hilly regions of Uttar Pradesh.

Here is all that happened on this day across the world.

Opening of the Berlin Wall

One of the most defining incidents of the 20th century took place on November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall, a concrete symbol of the Cold War that had divided East and West Berlin for 28 years, was opened. The wall, erected in 1961 by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), had separated families, restricted freedom, and stood as a powerful representation of the ideological divide between the communist East and the democratic West.

The events leading to the wall’s opening began with mounting pressure for political reform across Eastern Europe. In East Germany, weeks of massive public protests demanded greater freedom and an end to government restrictions. Amid this turmoil, the East German leadership sought to ease tensions by relaxing travel regulations. On the evening of November 9, government spokesman Gunter Schabowski mistakenly announced in a press conference that East Berliners could cross into West Berlin “immediately.”

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Crowds of jubilant East Germans rushed to the border checkpoints, overwhelming the guards. Confused and without clear orders, border officers eventually opened the gates. Thousands streamed through, greeted by cheers, hugs, and celebrations from West Berliners. People climbed atop the wall, dancing, singing, and chipping away at the concrete barrier that had divided their city for nearly three decades.

The fall of the Berlin Wall became a powerful symbol of freedom and unity, marking the beginning of the end for communist regimes in Eastern Europe. Within a year, Germany was reunified, and the Cold War was drawing to a close.

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The Night of Broken Glass occurred in Nazi Germany

On the night of November 9, 1938, a violent wave of anti-Jewish pogroms swept through Nazi Germany and Austria. Known as Kristallnacht, or the “Night of Broken Glass,” it marked a dark turning point in the Nazi persecution of Jews. The name refers to the shattered glass that littered the streets after Jewish homes, businesses, and synagogues were vandalised and destroyed.

The violence was triggered by the assassination of a German diplomat in Paris by a young Polish Jew, Herschel Grynszpan. The Nazi regime used this incident as a pretext to unleash a state-sponsored attack on Jewish communities. Beginning on the evening of November 9 and continuing into November 10, Nazi stormtroopers (SA), the SS, and civilians carried out coordinated assaults across cities and towns.

Kristallnacht revealed the full brutality of Nazi anti-Semitism and ended any illusion that Jews could safely live in Germany. It marked the transition from discrimination and social exclusion to systematic, state-driven violence, paving the way for the Holocaust that would follow. In the aftermath, Jews were fined for the damage inflicted upon them, and new laws further restricted their rights and livelihoods.

Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh

India witnessed the birth of its 27th state, i.e. Uttarakhand, from the hilly regions of northern Uttar Pradesh on this day in 2000. The demand for a separate state had begun as early as the 1950s, when residents of the mountainous districts felt marginalised within the larger and more populous Uttar Pradesh.

The region’s difficult terrain, lack of infrastructure, and limited political representation fuelled calls for a distinct administrative identity. The movement gained momentum in the 1990s, as mass protests, rallies, and demonstrations swept across the hill districts, including Garhwal and Kumaon.

The agitation reached a turning point in 1994, when police opened fire on demonstrators in Muzaffarnagar, resulting in several deaths. The tragedy intensified public sentiment and strengthened the call for statehood. Finally, under growing political pressure, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government passed the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, paving the way for the new state.

On November 9, Uttarakhand officially came into existence, with Dehradun designated as its temporary capital and Nainital as the judicial seat. The state was initially named Uttaranchal, but in 2007, it was renamed Uttarakhand to reflect the region’s cultural and historical roots.

This Day, That Year

• Garry Kasparov defeated Anatoly Karpov to become the youngest male world chess champion in 1985.

• In 1953, Cambodia became independent from France.

• Albert Einstein was named the winner of the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics.