It was the most visible sign of the post-war division of Europe and Germany after the horrible crimes of nazism. It was the result of cold war, super-power pressures and dirty tricks, in a peculiar situation where there was a free-market, freewheeling, bright-lights enclave, West Berlin, in the heart of an austere, 'socialist' country. It was also a symbol (of the failure and the defeatism) of a state that gradually had less and less to do with socialism and more to do with policing and monitoring its citizens: the loathed Berlin Wall that over 5,000 succeeded to climb, and 136 or more tragically failed, murdered for no reason by guards 'following orders'. It's fall 20 years ago was not seen then by ordinary people seen in the pictures celebrating, and it is not seen now, as a cold war triumph for capitalism (indeed western leaders such as Thatcher had pleaded with Gorbachev for its preservation according to recently unclassified docs), but rather, it was seen as a new beginning for the people of an emancipated & united Germany and Europe, for a better world without divisions and borders, where freedom of movement and ALL other human rights of ALL humans are respected. Because Socialism without Liberty is not Socialism, and Liberty without Socialism is not Liberty. Many other Walls, visible and invisible, and travel embargoes are still standing today, even in supposedly 'free' parts of the world, while new ones are being built to prevent immigration. They are no better and will be proven no stronger than the Berlin Wall. Gorbachev was there yesterday too, joining the transient leaders and chieftains of today. Some of his compatriots may dislike him or even despise him, particularly the nationalists, however if there was a lesser figure than this visionary (who did deserve his Nobel Peace prize unlike the most recent recipient) there would have been a bloodbath and even worse. And this is his op-ed written for the 20th anniversary: "We brought down the wall in the belief that future generations would be able to solve challenges together. Today, looking at the cavernous gulf between rich and poor, the irresponsibility that caused the global financial crisis, and the weak and divided responses to climate change, I feel bitter. The opportunity to build a safer, fairer and more united world has been largely squandered."