Documentary backdrop image for Behind The Wall (2011)

Documentary backdrop image for Behind The Wall (2011)

201171 minPGdocumentary

Historical Events Cold War

Behind The Wall

201171 minPGdocumentary

Berlin's citizens share personal accounts of life before, during, and after the Berlin Wall, reflecting on the city's division and its aftermath.

Historical Events Cold War

Genres

Director

Michael Patrick Kelly

Synopsis

Berlin's citizens share personal accounts of life before, during, and after the Berlin Wall, reflecting on the city's division and its aftermath.

People

Michael Patrick Kellydirector

Gregor Gysi

Gregor Gysicast

Lothar de Maizière

Lothar de Maizièrecast

Tobias Langhoff

Tobias Langhoffcast

Synopsis

Berlin's streets resonate with memories as citizens recall life before, during, and after the Berlin Wall. Director Michael Patrick Kelly presents personal accounts from people in East and West Germany, offering a unique perspective on a divided city. The documentary begins with the 20th anniversary of the Wall's fall and weaves through individual stories that capture the daily realities faced by those on both sides. It runs for 71 minutes.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary) (2021)

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary)

The Berlin Wall, which stood for 28 years, fell in November 1989, marking a significant moment in the end of the Cold War.

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary)

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall (2021)

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall

Over 2 million people fled East Germany before the Berlin Wall was erected on August 13, 1961, prompting the Stasi to expand its surveillance operations.

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall (2019)

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall

20 million Germans fled as the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, dividing families and altering lives for nearly three decades.

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall

German reunification - a short history (2017)

German reunification - a short history

In 1989, the peaceful revolution in East Germany led to the opening of its borders, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9.

German reunification - a short history

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored (2026)

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored

In July 1945, Berlin faced immense destruction and uncertainty as residents navigated the challenges of rebuilding amid rising Cold War tensions.

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party? (2025)

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party?

€1.5 billion of former SED party assets have been transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany, with nearly €130 million still missing.

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party?

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story (2021)

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story

The Korean Demilitarized Zone stretches over 250 kilometers, marking one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world.

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story

The Berlin Wall, our family and us (2019)

The Berlin Wall, our family and us

Life in East Germany shapes the experiences of siblings in reunified Berlin today.

The Berlin Wall, our family and us

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines (2024)

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines

In October 1961, Soviet T-54 tanks faced American M48 Pattons at Checkpoint Charlie during a tense standoff that threatened nuclear escalation.

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines

The Air Force Missile Mission (2015)

The Air Force Missile Mission

James Stewart narrates a detailed overview of the U.S. Air Force's missile program and its strategic importance during the Cold War era.

The Air Force Missile Mission

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History (2019)

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History

The 1918 influenza pandemic killed more people worldwide than combat during World War One.

Influenza: The Hundred Year Hunt to Cure the Deadliest Disease in History

Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi (2025)

Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi

In ancient Greece, the Oracle of Delphi served as a pivotal religious site where priestesses delivered prophecies attributed to the god Apollo.

Apollo and the Oracle of Delphi

Explore Behind The Wall

Cast & Crew Topics FAQ Stream

Where else to watch

Berlin Wall: The Night the Iron Curtain Closed (2014)

Berlin Wall: The Night the Iron Curtain Closed

2014•49m•★7.0TMDB

A 28-mile barrier divided East and West Berlin overnight on August 13, 1961, changing the lives of three million residents.

Berlin Wall: The Night the Iron Curtain Closed

The Berlin Wall: Escape to Freedom (2006)

The Berlin Wall: Escape to Freedom

2006•1h10m•★8.0TMDB

Over 28 years, authorities fortified the Berlin Wall, learning from each escape attempt to make it increasingly difficult to cross.

The Berlin Wall: Escape to Freedom

Last Year Titanic (1991)

Last Year Titanic

1991•1h40m•★6.3TMDB

Filmed over one year, from December 1989 to December 1990, the documentary captures life during the final months of the German Democratic Republic.

Last Year Titanic

Berlin and Brandenburg From Above (2015)

Berlin and Brandenburg From Above

2015•1h34m•★6.5TMDB

Twenty-five years after the reunification of East and West Germany, aerial views reveal the dramatic changes in Berlin and Brandenburg since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Berlin and Brandenburg From Above

The Invisible Frame (2009)

The Invisible Frame

2009•1h•★6.8TMDB

Twenty-one years after their first trip, Cynthia Beatt and Tilda Swinton return to the Berlin Wall to see how the area has changed.

The Invisible Frame

Browse more like this

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary) (2021)

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary)

The Berlin Wall, which stood for 28 years, fell in November 1989, marking a significant moment in the end of the Cold War.

The Fall Of The Berlin Wall: What Happened? (Borders Documentary)

No digital watch option in your country

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall (2021)

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall

Over 2 million people fled East Germany before the Berlin Wall was erected on August 13, 1961, prompting the Stasi to expand its surveillance operations.

The Stasi and the Berlin Wall

No digital watch option in your country

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall (2019)

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall

20 million Germans fled as the Berlin Wall was erected in 1961, dividing families and altering lives for nearly three decades.

Virtually History: The Berlin Wall

No digital watch option in your country

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored (2026)

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored

In July 1945, Berlin faced immense destruction and uncertainty as residents navigated the challenges of rebuilding amid rising Cold War tensions.

Berlin in Ruins: Life After the Fall of Nazi Germany Uncensored

No digital watch option in your country

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party? (2025)

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party?

€1.5 billion of former SED party assets have been transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany, with nearly €130 million still missing.

What became of the riches of East Germany's socialist party?

No digital watch option in your country

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story (2021)

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story

The Korean Demilitarized Zone stretches over 250 kilometers, marking one of the most heavily militarized borders in the world.

The Wall Between North And South Korea: A Border Story

No digital watch option in your country

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines (2024)

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines

In October 1961, Soviet T-54 tanks faced American M48 Pattons at Checkpoint Charlie during a tense standoff that threatened nuclear escalation.

Soviet Tanks on Berlin Streets - Combat Machines

No digital watch option in your country

After the Wall: A World United (2011)

After the Wall: A World United

2011•55m•★7.0TMDB

Three influential leaders, including George H.W. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev, reflect on the political changes following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

After the Wall: A World United

Reunification in the Ice: The Story of the Last GDR Antarctic Explorers (2020)

Reunification in the Ice: The Story of the Last GDR Antarctic Explorers

2020•52m•★8.0TMDB

Thirteen scientists from the German Democratic Republic conducted research in Antarctica, unaware of the Berlin Wall's fall on November 9, 1989.

Reunification in the Ice: The Story of the Last GDR Antarctic Explorers

After the Fall (2000)

After the Fall

2000•1h25m•★9.0TMDB

Interviews with long-time residents and foreign visitors reveal the varied experiences of life on both sides of the Berlin Wall after its fall.

Berlin Escape Artists (2019)

Berlin Escape Artists

2019•53m•★8.0TMDB

Individuals risked their lives to escape the German Democratic Republic by digging tunnels, crafting makeshift balloons, and disguising themselves in fake uniforms.

Berlin Escape Artists

Eastward (1991)

Eastward

1991•24m•★5.3TMDB

Three residents north of Berlin share their experiences and challenges in adapting to new economic realities after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film (1998)

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film

1998•1h28m•★7.6TMDB

Abraham Zapruder's footage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on November 22, 1963, is digitally remastered to reveal new details and its impact on public perception.

Image of an Assassination: A New Look at the Zapruder Film

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story (2017)

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

2017•26m•★10.0TMDB

At 99 years old, Dorothy Toy Fong continues to perform, demonstrating her lifelong dedication to tap dance and the joy it brings to audiences.

Dancing Through Life: The Dorothy Toy Story

Browse more by Michael Patrick Kelly

View all films →

Motian in Motion (2020)

Motian in Motion

2020

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →