In the wee hours of August 13, 1961, as Berliners slept, the GDR began building fences and barriers to seal off entry points from East Berlin into the western part of the city. The overnight move stunned Germans on both sides of the new border.

Some significant events that occurred in 1961 include:

• January 20 - John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th President of the United States.
• April 12 - Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to travel to space.
• August 13 - The Berlin Wall is erected, dividing East and West Berlin.
• August 30 - The single "Stand by Me" by Ben E. King is released.
• October 1 - Roger Maris hits his 61st home run, breaking Babe Ruth's record for most home runs in a single season.
• October 30 - The Soviet Union detonates the Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear weapon ever tested.