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| Version 13 | Version 14 |
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| Berlin celebrates demise of Wall | Berlin celebrates demise of Wall |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall are under way. | Celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall are under way. |
| They began with a service at the Gethsemane Church in the east of the city, a centre of protest in the months leading to the opening of the Wall. | They began with a service at the Gethsemane Church in the east of the city, a centre of protest in the months leading to the opening of the Wall. |
| Later, world leaders will symbolically walk across the first East German border crossing to open in 1989. | Later, world leaders will symbolically walk across the first East German border crossing to open in 1989. |
| The fall of the Wall led to the collapse of Communist power, German reunification and the Cold War's end. | The fall of the Wall led to the collapse of Communist power, German reunification and the Cold War's end. |
| Communist East Germany erected the 155km (96-mile) concrete wall in 1961 to encircle West Berlin and prevent citizens from fleeing into the capitalist enclave. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed at the Wall while trying to escape. | Communist East Germany erected the 155km (96-mile) concrete wall in 1961 to encircle West Berlin and prevent citizens from fleeing into the capitalist enclave. More than 100 people are believed to have been killed at the Wall while trying to escape. |
| DIVIDED AND REUNITED 7 October 1949: German Democratic Republic (GDR) founded following World War II in the Soviet occupation zone13 August 1961: Berlin Wall built18 October 1989: After unrest across country, including demonstrations in Leipzig, Erich Honecker quits as party chief. Egon Krenz replaces himNovember 9 1989: Wall fallsMarch 18 1990: East Germans elect pro-unity governmentJuly 1 1990: East and West Germany merge economiesOctober 3 1990: East and West Germany unite The night the Berlin Wall fell Free market flawed, says survey | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, is leading the celebrations marking its end. | German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany, is leading the celebrations marking its end. |
| Guests including ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will join her in walking across the Bornholmer Bridge at 1400 GMT. The barrier there was unexpectedly opened after weeks of pro-democracy protests. | Guests including ex-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev will join her in walking across the Bornholmer Bridge at 1400 GMT. The barrier there was unexpectedly opened after weeks of pro-democracy protests. |
| The main events marking the anniversary in the city will be at the Brandenburg Gate - the symbol of German reunification in 1990. | The main events marking the anniversary in the city will be at the Brandenburg Gate - the symbol of German reunification in 1990. |
| Hundreds of giant foam dominoes painted with messages of freedom by young people have been placed along the former route of the wall. They will be toppled from 1900 GMT to show how the then Communist governments across Eastern Europe fell one after another. | Hundreds of giant foam dominoes painted with messages of freedom by young people have been placed along the former route of the wall. They will be toppled from 1900 GMT to show how the then Communist governments across Eastern Europe fell one after another. |
| The festivities will be capped with fireworks and a concert featuring performances by musicians from across the world. | The festivities will be capped with fireworks and a concert featuring performances by musicians from across the world. |
| World leaders among those invited to join Chancellor Merkel in Berlin are French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. | World leaders among those invited to join Chancellor Merkel in Berlin are French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. |
| They will be joined by: | They will be joined by: |
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| Meanwhile, Guenter Schabowski - the former East German official whose casual public comments about the proposed ending of restrictions on travel from East to West Berlin are widely thought to have led to the fall of the Wall - has admitted there had been a breakdown in communication with his party boss, Egon Krenz. | Meanwhile, Guenter Schabowski - the former East German official whose casual public comments about the proposed ending of restrictions on travel from East to West Berlin are widely thought to have led to the fall of the Wall - has admitted there had been a breakdown in communication with his party boss, Egon Krenz. |
| Mr Schabowski blurted out the plans during a televised press conference - and compounded his error by adding the new rules would come into force "immediately". | Mr Schabowski blurted out the plans during a televised press conference - and compounded his error by adding the new rules would come into force "immediately". |
| He told the BBC he did not regret his blunder because it had led to the divided Germany being reunited peacefully. | He told the BBC he did not regret his blunder because it had led to the divided Germany being reunited peacefully. |
| On the eve of the celebrations, Mrs Clinton called for a new push to free those still oppressed. | On the eve of the celebrations, Mrs Clinton called for a new push to free those still oppressed. |
| "Our history did not end the night the wall came down," she said. | "Our history did not end the night the wall came down," she said. |
| "To expand freedom to more people, we cannot accept that freedom does not belong to all people." | "To expand freedom to more people, we cannot accept that freedom does not belong to all people." |
| Are you in Berlin? Will you be taking part in the celebrations? Do you remember the day the Berlin Wall came down? Send us your stories using the form below. | Are you in Berlin? Will you be taking part in the celebrations? Do you remember the day the Berlin Wall came down? Send us your stories using the form below. |
| You can also send us your pictures and videos of today's celebrations to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. | You can also send us your pictures and videos of today's celebrations to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to +44 7725 100 100. If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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