Protests mark Berlin Wall anniversary

The Wall came to symbolise the division of Europe

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has led commemorations in Germany marking the 40th anniversary of the building of Berlin Wall.

The anniversary, however, has been marred by a row over the failure of the ex-communist Party of Democratic Socialism [PDS] to apologise for the deaths of the East Germans killed as they tried to escape.

Whoever makes a coalition with the PDS is making a pact with [former East German] socialism

Christian Social Union's Edmund Stoiber

About 1,000 people are believed to have lost their lives trying to escape to the West during the wall's 28-year existence, some 250 at the wall itself.

Groups representing those who suffered under the former East German regime used the occasion to protest at the prospect of the PDS returning to power in the city's government.

In a televised address, German President Johannes Rau called the building of the wall by the East German Government "a crime against their own people".

Construction of the wall hurriedly began on the morning of 13 August, 1961, in an attempt by East Germany's communist rulers to stop the tide of people fleeing to West Berlin.

Protected by armed guards under orders to shoot on sight, the 106km (67 mile) wall set the division of Europe in stone and became a hated symbol of communist repression.

Bitter legacy

Although consigned to history since 1989, the wall's political ramifications are still being felt.

The PDS, which won 40% of the vote in eastern Berlin in 1999, is expected to make strong gains in the city's forthcoming elections.

Mr Schroeder's Social Democrats [SPD] govern the city in a minority coalition and could be left with no alternative but to invite the PDS to join the city government.

The PDS has failed to apologise for deaths

However, opposition parties have denounced the SPD for contemplating a deal with the PDS, which has only gone so far as to express regret for the "injustice" of the wall.

At a rally at the former Checkpoint Charlie on Sunday, Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel described a possible pact with the PDS as a betrayal of "the ideal of politics".

Berlin's Social Democrat Mayor, Klaus Wowereit, called on the PDS to apologise for the wall "from conviction, not paying lip service as a campaign tactic", the German newspaper Tagesspiegel reported.

When Chancellor Schroeder arrived for what was supposed to be a dignified wreath-laying service on Monday morning, he was met by angry and emotional protests.

And a wreath which had earlier been left by the PDS in memory of the victims of the wall was torn up by a protester before he was arrested and led away by police.