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. 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.