Anniversary of building of Berlin Wall marked
PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle
14.08.2011 09:48
Fifty years years ago this weekend, the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) began constructing the Berlin Wall blocking access to allied occupied West Berlin, Germany.
Chancellor Merkel with President Wullf yesterday in Berlin; photo - EPA
Fifty years years ago this weekend, the communist German Democratic Republic (GDR) began constructing the Berlin Wall blocking access to allied occupied West Berlin, Germany.
On Saturday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wullf gathered to attend commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the erection of the wall which eventually came tumbling down in 1989.
On 13 August 1961, the East German state commenced the erection of the Berlin Wall in Bernauer Street.
More than 100,000 people tried to escape across or underneath the 155-kilometer wall until its collapse in 1989. Of those just 5,075 succeeded, 136 lost their lives and at least 70,000 were persecuted by the East German judiciary. (pg)