Germany's Merkel visits Berlin Wall Memorial

ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)

STORY: German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited on Sunday (November 9) the Berlin Wall Memorial, on the day marking 25 years since the fall of concrete barrier.

The Chancellor was accompanied by several dignitaries, including Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, and was later due to hold a speech at the commemorative site at Bernauer Strasse, where one of the few remaining sections of the wall still remains.

Speaking on the eve of Sunday's celebrations, Merkel said Germany would always be grateful for the courage of East Germans who took to the streets to protest the Communist dictatorship.

The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to stop East Germans fleeing to the West. It began as a brick wall and was then fortified as heavily guarded 160 km (100 mile) double white concrete screen that encircled West Berlin, cutting across streets, between families, and through graveyards.

At least 136 people were killed trying to flee to West Berlin a