Interfax: Russians see historic significance of fall of Berlin Wall in Germany’s reunion – poll

MOSCOW. Nov 10 (Interfax) – An overwhelming majority of Russians (85%) know that the Berlin Wall fell 25 years ago, in November 1989, while 13% learned about the fact from the Public Opinion Foundation during a poll.

Thirty-eight percent of the 1,500 respondents polled in 43 regions in November thought that the historic significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall lies primarily in the reunification of Germany.

Five percent pointed to “a global political thaw” and three percent mentioned “the faltering of the socialist system.”

Forty-eight percent were undecided.

The opinion that this event had more pros than cons for Russia is more common than the opposing view (22% vs. 18%) but most Russians (60%) could not say how the fall of the Berlin Wall had impacted Russia.

Some 51% of the respondents said it was good that the Berlin Wall had been torn down, 13% argued the opposite and 37% could not answer the question.

Respondents were divided over the question whether the fall of the Berlin Wall ended the Cold War: 39% shared that opinion, 33% disagreed and 28% were undecided.

The Berlin Wall was a reinforced barrier built along the state border between the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and West Berlin, which existed from 1961 to 1989. The GDR government lifted restrictions on communication with West Berlin on November 9, 1989, under pressure from mass protests. The entire border infrastructure except a 1.3-kilometer stretch was dismantled in 1990. The remnant of the Wall became a monument to a most notorious symbol of the Cold War.