BIG PHOTOS: Berlin Marks 50 Years Since Construction Of Wall That Divided East From West

BIG PHOTOS: Berlin Marks 50 Years Since Construction Of Wall

Germany is marking 50 years since the construction of the Berlin Wall.

The wall was built by the communist East ostensibly to keep out the western 'Fascists'. In reality the wall was used mostly to keep people from the east escaping into the west.

The wall divided the city for 28 years before it was demolished in 1989. Originally little more than a wire fence it eventually stretched for more than 100 miles, with 300 outposts along its walls were built to watch for people trying to escape.

At least 136 people are known to have died while trying to cross the border, although rights groups say that the true number might be as high as 700.

A list of the names of those victims was read out overnight in a ceremony.

At another ceremony on Saturday morning the German president Christian Wulff, the chancellor Angela Merkel and the mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit stood with the crowds to mark the anniversary.

Take a look at the history of the wall and some photos from Saturday's ceremony below.

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