World Freedom Day

World Freedom Day was created to commemorate the fall of the Berlin Wall post-World War II. But today it is not so much about the Wall but more about what its falling represented. It marked the end of communism throughout Eastern and Central Europe, ensuring liberty to all. The holiday was established as a federal observance in 2001 by President George W. Bush. After World War II ended, Germany was divided into East and West Germany. West Germany was occupied by the Americans, French, and the British and East Germany became the Soviet-occupied German Democratic Republic. East Germany gained status as an independent country in 1949 and the city of Berlin became a part of Soviet-controlled Germany. A wall was created to prevent the immigration of people from East Berlin to West Berlin and the rest of Western Europe. From 1961 to 1989, an estimated 5,000 people escaped over the Berlin Wall. More than 100 people were killed in the process. In 1989, travel restrictions became lenient in East Germany, leading to thousands of people impatiently climbing the wall and hitting the wall with chisels and hammers. The Berlin Wall was chipped away bit by bit and eventually came down on 9 November 1989. One year later, Germany became a single territory again.