The Iron Curtain fell in Europe in 1989, symbolizing the end of the Cold War and the division between Eastern and Western Europe. This metaphorical barrier represented the ideological conflict and physical boundary that had separated the Soviet-aligned countries from Western democracies since the end of World War II. The fall began with a series of peaceful revolutions in Eastern Europe, culminating in the Berlin Wall's collapse. This event led to the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, dramatically transforming the European political landscape and ushering in a new era of global relations.