SHOTLIST

1. Travelling along the east side gallery

2. Various of damaged illustrations on East Side gallery

3. Head of East Side gallery artists, Kani Alavi, checking his painting

4. Wide of Alavi walking by his painting

5. SOUNDBITE: (German) Kani Alavi, head of East Side gallery artists:

"If the politicians do not start to act soon we won't have the East Side gallery in its authentic form any longer. We have to act now and we have to use the finances we have received from several sources; the government, the city of Berlin, private sponsors and Lotto."

6. Close of gap in a wall

7. Med of split wall

8. Med of damaged wall and illustration

9. Wide of tourists walking along the East Side gallery

10. SOUNDBITE: (German) Manfred K�hne, Berlin city official:

"We have to coordinate the construction of a park, the reconstruction of the wall and the repainting of the paintings at the wall. The reconstruction of the wall and the repainting is delayed because we had to move some old houses from the park area."

11. Wide of Berlin wall

12. Various of East Side gallery illustrations

STORYLINE

Seventeen years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall, city officials and artists are locked in a battle to save one of the largest remaining sections of the historic monument from property developers, pollution, and vandalism.

The East Side Gallery, a three-quarter-mile stretch in Berlin's Friedrichshain neighbourhood, features the work of over a hundred international artists and includes iconic images like the embrace between East German leader Erich Honecker and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

This popular tourist spot is in danger of disappearing altogether because of deteriorating walls, pollution, and tourists who like to pick-off pieces for souvenirs.

September's planned restoration is put at 1.8 (m) million US dollars, a figure that will increase depending on how much of the wall and its artwork can be saved.

Kani Alavi, heads up the East Side Gallery's Artists' association who fight to preserve the wall.

Alavi, an Iranian-born artist who contributed a mural in the 1990s says that politicians have to "act soon" to keep the Gallery "authentic".

"We have to act now and we have to use the finances we have received from several sources; the government, the city of Berlin, private sponsors and Lotto."

Another obstacle to restoration is property development planned for the area.

Manfred K�hne, a city official says: "We have to coordinate the construction of a park, the reconstruction of the wall and the repainting of the paintings at the wall. The reconstruction of the wall and the repainting is delayed because we had to move some old houses from the park area."

The wall's western side was covered in graffiti during the decades after the barrier was erected on Aug. 13, 1961. Parts of the eastern side, to which the East Side Gallery belongs, were painted only after communism collapsed.

Berlin's Mayor Klaus Wowereit illuminated a chain of balloons symbolising the Berlin Wall on Friday.

In a speech to Berliners and tourists, he said Wowereit said the light installation offered "the possibility to tear down the wall for a second time."

"This time people from around the world will send off messages, which are fixed to the balloons, messages for peace and hope that all the walls in the world will fall, concrete walls and the walls in peoples heads," he said.

The 15-kilometre (nine-mile) chain of illuminated balloons along the former path of the Berlin Wall will be released into the air early Sunday evening, around the time on 9 November 1989 when an announcement by a senior communist official set off the chain of events that brought down the Cold War's most potent symbol.

Germany is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a pivotal moment in the collapse of European communism and the start of the country's emergence as the major power at the heart of a reunited continent.

AP TELEVISION

Berlin - 7 November 2014

1. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and other officials switching on light installation

2. Various of balloon chain along the river Spree

3. Balloon chain

4. SOUNDBITE (German) Klaus Wowereit, Berlin mayor:

"The 15 kilometre (nine-mile) light balloons go along the former border and symbolise the wall. This is one thing. But they also offer the possibility to tear down the wall for a second time. This time people from around the world will send off messages, which are fixed at the balloons, messages for peace and hope that all the walls in the world will fall, concrete walls and the walls in peoples heads."

5. Balloon chain

6. Public screen showing GDR police officers arresting people who are fighting the regime

7. Man watching documentary

8. Balloon chain

9. People watching video

10. Various balloon chain

11. Balloon chain in front of German Parliament

SHOTLIST

AP Television

August 13, 2007

1. Pan down of people gathered at the memorial of Bernauer Strasse (which is one of the streets which separates two Berlin's districts: Mitte in the East and Wedding in the West)

2. Close up of memorial wall (part of the original Berlin wall)

3. Wreathes at memorial wall

4. Various of people standing near Berlin wall

5. Close of Berlin wall

6. Marianne Birthler, Head of the Stasi archives speaking with reporters

7. SOUNDBITE (German) Marianne Birthler, Head of the Stasi archives:

"I know from the victims of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) regime that they want to have a clear statement about what was just and unjust. They want people to hear their stories.They want to make clear who carries the political responsibility for this crime. The degree of the penalty does not play such a big role."

8. Wide shot of Berlin wall

9. Various of gaps in the Berlin wall

10. SOUNDBITE (German) Guenter Nooke, German government representative for human rights:

"The document is not new, but I think it's good that people here in Germany are again disgusted about the GDR system. For most of the people it is not normal that the GDR gave orders to kill people, even women and children at the border. And I think it is a positive thing that people in Germany and the world hear this again or some of them for the first time."

11. People gathered around crosses reminding them of the wall victims

12. Close up of visitor

13. Close up cross

14. People paying their respects

15. Wide of crosses near German Parliament

16. SOUNDBITE (German) Richard Buchner, Member of the Association of the Victims of the Communist Regime:

"Twenty years later an order exists to kill women and children (referring to the discovery of the Stasi orders). This is incredible and I think there are legal consequences necessary. And if possible, people who are responsible for it have to be impeached for it. This is the opinion I can represent in the name of two million (m) victims of the SED (East German Socialist Party) regime."

17. Various of Berlin Wall

18. Pan from wall to wooden cross

NATO TV

FILE: 1961

19. Various construction of Berlin Wall (++black and white pictures++)

20. Various soldiers at wall

AP Television

FILE: 1971

21. Various of look out towers and barbed wire

FILE: 1989

22. Pan from Checkpoint Charlie to crowd at crossing point

FILE: November 9, 1989

23. People climbing over the wall

24. Crane beginning to dismantle the wall

25. Man using stone cutter to dismantle the wall

STORYLINE

Germany marked the 46th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall on Monday- a remembrance given added poignancy by the emergence from the files of East Germany's dreaded secret police of an unusually explicit order to shoot at citizens fleeing the communist country.

Though the official East German border regulations said use of a firearm was to be considered an "extreme measure in the use of force," the October 1,1973 order to border guards from the Ministry for State Security, or Stasi, is much less reserved, Magdeburg's Volksstimme newspaper reported on Saturday.

"Do not hesitate with the use of a firearm, including when the border breakouts involve women and children, which the traitors have already frequently taken advantage of," the order reads.

Marianne Birthler, Head of the Stasi archives said the documents showed a willingness to commit brutality that have rarely been seen otherwise.

She spoke at a memorial service for those who lost their lives as they attempted East Germany after the barrier was erected on August 13, 1961.

"I know from victims of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) regime that they want to have a clear statement about what was just and unjust. They want people to hear their stories.They want to make clear who carries the political responsibility for this crime," Birthler said.

Before the 1990 reunification of Germany, more than one thousand people were killed on the eastern side of the highly fortified border as they tried to escape to the West, including more than 125 at the Berlin Wall.

Some politicians on Monday pointed out that the document had already been published years ago, and criticised the Stasi archives for taking advantage of the Berlin Wall anniversary to call attention to their cause and alleged they were using the documents to justify their work.

However, the German government representative for human rights, Guenter Nooke, applauded the release of the documents saying that is is good to bring the world's attention to the "disgusting" regime of the GDR.

"For most of the people it is not normal that the GDR gave orders to kill people, even women and children at the border. And I think it is a positive thing that people in Germany and the world hear this again or some of them for the first time," he added.

Richard Buchner, Member of the Association of the Victims of the Communist Regime said that the fact that these documents were around 17 years after the fall of the Wall was "incredible" and said that legal action was required.

"If possible, people who are responsible for it have to be impeached for it. This is the opinion I can represent in the name of two million (m) victims of the SED (East German Socialist Party) regime," he told the Associated Press.

Germany had been divided after the end of World War II in 1945 into communist East Germany and democratic West Germany.

The Stasi, founded in the 1950s, had 91,000 full-time employees and 180,000 undercover informers.

They kept the population of 18 (m) million under blanket surveillance while the regime built the Berlin Wall and a border bristling with mines, barbed wire, dogs and self-activating machine guns.

After the Soviet Union collapsed, the border came down, the Stasi was disbanded and East and West Germany were united in 1990.

Hundreds of former East German border guards and officials have since been convicted for border shootings. Most received suspended sentences, though a few former leaders went to jail.

Philipp Lengsfeld was 16-years-old when his fellow students put him on trial.

On that early autumn day in 1988, pupils stood up to denounce Lengsfeld and seven other troublemakers as "traitors" and "pacifists."

Then the class voted to expel Lengsfeld from the official youth movement, membership of which was compulsory for anyone with ambition in communist East Germany.

Before the mass protests that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall, a group of teenagers dared to challenge the system and paid a hefty price.

Yet they made their mark on history - inspiring many others, including of their parents' generation, to follow their example in questioning authority.

In the Kafka-esque world of East Germany, the students were punished for doing precisely what they were told to do: post their views on the bulletin board of a new "Speakers' Corner", set up near the entrance of the elite Carl-von-Ossietzky high school in east Berlin.

"I think our Speakers' Corner was unique in the GDR (German Democratic Republic, or East Germany). We were told that we could freely express our opinions - like anyone could do at the original place in London," said Lengsfeld.

The current director of the Ossietzky school, Bernd Schonenberger, has spent a lot of time talking to colleagues who taught at the school in 1989.

He recalled that the political school climate was open and progressive in 1988 but not society as a whole.

"Here at this school things were possible to do, things which needed to stay secret. They were the precursors of the revolution in 1989," he told The Associated Press.

"The Speakers' Corner here was officially approved. What the pupils didn't understand at the time was that it had to be secret and couldn't be official. As soon as it went public it was a problem" he added.

The eight students used the bulletin board to praise labour strikes in neighbouring Poland, to call attention to a growing neo-Nazi movement, and to air an ironic poem about an East German soldier's love for his Kalashnikov rifle.

Lengsfeld, and seven others seen as ringleaders, refused to back down their protest, even after authorities gave them a chance to repent.

The mock trials - watched by adults standing silently at the back of the classrooms - had been carefully orchestrated to give the official punishment an air of democratic legitimacy.

Alexander Krohn, one of the few who refused to denounce his fellow pupils, described the proceedings as a "kangaroo court."

Krohn, who was suspended for refusing to take part in denunciations, said it was a matter of honour for him to support his classmates, some of whom also belonged to a loose group of punk music fans.

"We didn't want to say the opposite of what we thought, which for the majority of the other students was normal," he said.

A few days later, the eight students were summoned to an assembly and, one by one, expelled.

"Simply put, it was the end of the world for us - from one day to another. In the morning you are a normal pupil, maybe a bit different from the average pupils but someone who lives a normal life of a high school student," said Lengsfeld.

"And all of a sudden you are confronted with the fact that you have no future in your own country anymore" he added.

But it was also a hard decision for the teachers at the time. Schonenberger, who has run the school since 1991, remembers what his former colleagues told him about the incident.

"The teachers walked unprepared into the conference. They had no chance to talk to each other before they had to vote," he said.

"A lot of things crossed their minds. If I say 'no,' what would the consequences be? Only a few people are courageous enough to vote 'no'. That's how innocent people are turned into perpetrators against their will," he added.

After their expulsion, the eight were treated like outcasts. Four faced a life-long ban from all schools in East Germany.

Their case was initially taken up by East Germany's tiny opposition movement, estimated at the time to number just a few hundred people.

Then it hit West German news broadcasts, bouncing back across the Iron Curtain as many ordinary East Germans tuned in to forbidden western channels.

Anger about the case also fuelled widespread dissatisfaction with the education system and the person who ran it, Margot Honecker, the wife of East German leader Erich Honecker.

She was one of the most hated people in the country for making political propaganda a core part of the curriculum at the expense of more useful lessons.

Historical documents show that Honecker - nicknamed "the purple dragon" and now living out her days in Chile - personally intervened to push for the crackdown on the Ossietzky students, even though many had been promising pupils and none had called outright for the fall of the Wall.

Unaware the Berlin Wall would crumble just a year later, Lengsfeld obtained permission to leave the country and go to England, where his mother lived in exile.

Lengsfeld told The Associated Press that the experience prompted him to go into politics.

The 42-year-old is now a national lawmaker. His office is situated on the same spot where Margot Honecker's Ministry of Education once stood.

"The minister's office was "Unter den Linden 71". Here was her main office where she signed our verdict. Today it belongs to the German Bundestag and my office is in the building. You can say we have come full circle" said Lengsfeld.

AP TELEVISION

Berlin - 4 November, 2014

1. Philipp Lengsfeld, who was expelled from Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium - a Berlin secondary school - walking along street

2. Pan from cafe on street to close of Lengsfeld

3. Exterior of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, a secondary school in Berlin

4. Close of sign reading (German) "Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium"

5. Pupils walking towards school entrance

6. Tilt up on column used as Speakers' Corner

7. Tilt up on photograph of Speakers' Corner in 1989

8. Close of photograph showing message posted on column in 1989 reading (German) "Speakers' Corner should be a place to speak freely again"

9. SOUNDBITE (German) Philipp Lengsfeld, former pupil of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, who was expelled from the school:

"I think our Speakers' Corner was unique in the GDR (German Democratic Republic, or East Germany). We were told that we could freely express our opinions - like anyone could do at the original place in London."

10. Tilt down from ceiling to Bernd Schonenberger, Director of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, holding booklet open at photograph of Speakers' Corner

11. SOUNDBITE (German) Bernd Schonenberger, Director of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium:

"Here, at this school, it was possible to do things; things which needed to stay secret. They were the precursors of the revolution in 1989. The Speakers' Corner here was officially approved. What the pupils didn't understand at the time was that it had to stay secret and couldn't be official. As soon as it went public it was a problem."

12. Alexander Krohn, former pupil of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, walking down street (walking towards camera)

13. Krohn standing in front of TV tower in Berlin

14. Photograph of Krohn as a teenager

15. SOUNDBITE (German) Alexander Krohn, former pupil of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, who was temporarily suspended from the school:

"We didn't want to say the opposite of what we thought, which for the majority of the other students was normal."

16. Schonenberger opening door into school assembly hall, pan of tables and chairs

17. Low shot of tables and chairs, Schonenberger standing in doorway to assembly hall

18. Copy of relegation paper issued by Margot Honecker, GDR Minister of Education

19. SOUNDBITE (German) Philipp Lengsfeld, former pupil of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, who was expelled from the school:

"Simply put, it was the end of the world for us - from one day to another. In the morning you are a normal pupil, maybe a bit different from the average pupils but someone who lives a normal life of a high school student. And all of a sudden you are confronted with the fact that you have no future in your own country anymore."

20. Print of paper issued by Honecker

21. Schoenenberger explaining what happened at the school assembly hall in 1988

22. SOUNDBITE (German) Bernd Schonenberger, Director of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium:

"The teachers walked unprepared into the conference. They had no chance to talk to each other before they had to vote. A lot of things crossed their minds. If I say 'no,' what would the consequences be? Only a few people are courageous enough to vote 'no'. That's how innocent people are turned into perpetrators against their will."

23. Tilt up on Lengsfeld walking towards Brandenburg Gate

24. Zoom into picture of Honecker

25. SOUNDBITE (German) Philipp Lengsfeld, former pupil of Carl von Ossietzky Gymnasium, who was expelled from the school:

"The minister's office was "Unter den Linden 71". Here was her main office where she signed our verdict. Today it belongs to the German Bundestag and my office is in this building. You can say we have come full circle."

26. Tilt down from Berlin TV tower to mural on wall

27. Wide of Berlin street scene

Thousands of people gathered on Sunday evening in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate for an open air event held as part of celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the night the Berlin Wall fell.

Almost 7,000 balloons were released into the sky, many carrying messages of hope.

The balloons were released from poles that formed a line illuminating a 15 kilometre stretch of the former border between East and West Berlin.

The symbolic act recalled the night of November 9, 1989, when thousands of people from the communist East streamed through gaps in the Berlin Wall to celebrate freedom with their brethren in the West.

"Our family was separated. One part was in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic), even imprisoned," said one spectator, Rose Krueger.

Ana Pereira from Portugal said even the intense cold did not spoil her enjoyment of the spectacle.

"I just texted a friend saying I might have lost some toes and something because it is very cold," she said, adding "It was worth it."

And Berlin citizen Christine Belz said she was asleep when the wall fell 25 years ago, "but today, I wanted to be here."

Among the dignitaries attending was Mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit.

"Nothing and no one may deny the wish for freedom," he said.

"We hope that all the people who are having to suffer from the walls of our times will experience something like we experienced. New courage, upheaval, change to overcome injustice and suffering," he said.

The night was capped with a huge firework display that lit up the night sky over the Brandenburg Gate.

AP TELEVISION

Berlin, Germany - 9 November 2014

++NIGHT SHOTS++

1. Balloons being released at Brandenburg Gate

2. Crowds waiting for release of balloons on poles at Bernauer Strasse that form a line illuminating a 15 kilometre stretch of the Berlin Wall, the former border between East and West Berlin

3. Balloons being released at Bernauer Strasse

4. SOUNDBITE (German) vox pop, Rose Krueger, Berlin resident:

"Our family was separated. One part was in the former GDR (German Democratic Republic), even imprisoned. Now, for the last 25 years, we have a united Germany and this is the greatest joy for us."

5. People taking photos of balloon chain

6. Balloons being released at Bernauer Strasse

7. SOUNDBITE (English) vox pop, Ana Pereira, tourist from Portugal:

"It was very moving, very touching, and I just texted a friend saying I might have lost some toes and something because it is very cold. But it was worth it. It is a moment in time, you know."

8. People taking photos of light installation

9. Balloons being released at Bernauer Strasse

10. SOUNDBITE (German) vox pop, Christine Belz, Berlin resident:

"It was wonderful today. Twenty-five years ago I missed the fall of the wall because I was asleep but today I wanted to be here."

11. Celebrations at Brandenburg gate

AGENCY POOL - AP CLIENTS ONLY

Berlin, Germany - 9 November 2014

++NIGHT SHOTS++

12. Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin, addressing crowds in front of Brandenburg Gate

13. SOUNDBITE (German) Klaus Wowereit, Mayor of Berlin:

"Nothing and no one may deny the wish for freedom and self-determination, nowhere. And nothing will protect authoritarian regimes from the call for democracy and justice in the long run. So we hope that all the people who are having to suffer from the walls of our times will experience something like we experienced. New courage, upheaval, change to overcome injustice and suffering. This is the message which we are sending together today from the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin."

14. Various of firework display at Brandenburg Gate

An activist group built a wall in Berlin featuring the face of Donald Trump, then knocked it down in a rally to encourage Americans overseas to vote against the Republican presidential candidate.

The group AVAAZ built the cardboard-block wall on Friday at the landmark Brandenburg Gate, not far from the spot where former President Ronald Reagan once famously called for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall."

The wall carried an image of Trump and the message "United to Stop Trump."

Campaigner Meredith Alexander called Americans abroad the "secret swing state" and said her group was trying to ensure all eligible voters receive and file their absentee ballots.

She says "there about eight million of us who live oversees," but in the last election only 12 per cent voted.

Berlin - 23 September 2016

1. Wide of Brandenburg gate, white cardboard-block wall built by protesters with face of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump painting on it, reading: (English) "United to stop Trump"

2. US flag

3. Demonstrator checking wall

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Meredith Alexander, Campaign director for AVAAZ, global activist web movement:

"American expats are the secret swing state that can beat Donald Trump. There are about eight million of us, who live overseas. And in general we are very progressive. If you look at the last couple of elections, for example, Americans abroad tended to give much more money to Democratic candidates than to Republicans."

5. Close of t-shirt reading: (English) "Americans abroad: Vote to stop Trump"

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Meredith Alexander, Campaign director for AVAAZ, global activist web movement:

"In the last election only 12 percent (of Americans abroad) voted. And so what we are doing here today is making it much easier for Americans to vote from abroad. AVAAZ created a brand new tool that takes the process from bureaucratic and complicated to simple and easy. And we're asking people all around the world to share that tool, so we reach Americans abroad everywhere, to defeat Trump."

7. Close of small US flags

8. Various of protesters knocking down the wall, cheering as the wall comes down

9. US flag

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Charlie Franchino, New York resident who will vote once back in the US:

"I think he (Trump), he has a lot more support than people realise. I think people are embarrassed to say that they are supporting him, so they don't say that. So he may be under-polling. So it's important for everyone to get there and vote, even if they vote in a foreign country."

11. Close of US citizen using online tool to register for vote

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Daniel Trejo, US citizen living in Berlin, born in Venezuela:

"And I think he (Trump) brings a lot of hate to, not just people, minorities living in the US but also people, like, you know, who want to come to the US or people that travel overseas. So I think he's bringing a very negative message, so that's why I am here to vote against him."

13. Close of t-shirt with picture of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton as a comic character reading: "Hillary 16"

14. Demonstrators waving US flag and chanting: (English) "United to stop Trump", Brandenburg gate in the background

15. Close of demonstrator with face painted half with German flag, half US flag, chanting: (English) "United to stop Trump"

LEAD IN:

An exhibition tracing dissident art created when East Germany was under Soviet rule is opening in Berlin.

The exhibition 'Voices of Dissent: Art in the GDR 1976-1989' traces the subtle - and sometimes obvious - ways artists tried to show their opposition to the Communist state.

STORY-LINE:

It was a time of the Berlin Wall, constant state surveillance and a suffocating lack of democracy.

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in Soviet-occupied parts of Germany after the Second World War and continued until after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Most parts of a citizens' life were controlled by the state and the communist party – and art was no exception.

Artists were required to create works which suited the ideology of the communist system, preferably with motives that showed the heroism of the working class.

But a number of artists in the GDR refused to conform and created pieces which ignored the required propaganda, or was even blatantly opposed to the regime.

An exhibition showcasing the works by leading oppositional artists is now opening in Berlin.

Hans-Hendrik Grimmling is one such dissident artist included in the exhibit.

After refusing to adapt his paintings to state standards and participating in several artist actions, he came to the attention of the secret police - the Stasi.

"I was not allowed to travel, not even in the Eastern Bloc. My exhibitions were closed down," says Grimmling.

"The seal around me was getting very close, very present. The flow of information stopped. I had a lot of invitations to go to France, but I was not allowed. The feeling of tightness was getting very close and schizophrenic. It was like an infection in us all. And as an artist you are always looking for ways the get healthy and whole again."

Art played an important role in the GDR.

Social realist paintings depicting the glory of the state, the heroism of workers and the enlightenment of the leaders hung in every state building.

Many artists made a good living creating such pictures, others stayed apolitical and kept their head down, some challenged the regime and its artistic norms.

"Of course, many of the artists just painted still life pictures and landscapes and stayed out of politics," explains co-curator Christoph Tannert.

"But on the other side, there were the subculture artists that used a very clear language, either against the aesthetic norms of the artists union, with art that used crazy forms and expressive touches or by using realism and depicting themes that were considered taboo."

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in Soviet-occupied parts of Germany in 1959.

The state was modeled on the Soviet Union with an all-powerful politburo and secret police.

Showing signs of dissent was not easy.

Many dissident artists had to spend time in jail, others were forbidden to travel outside their home cities and most were under constant surveillance.

Instead of creating obviously dissenting art, many painted pictures with codes and hints, or focused on the inner life of the citizens, instead of the politics of the state.

"When you walk through the exhibition you will not see many works that are obviously political," says co-curator, Eugen Blume.

"Most of them are using symbolism and are more concerned with existential questions as with the politics of the GDR. That is what distinguishes the quality of this art, that is concerned with the state of the soul."

Grimmling was finally allowed to emigate to West Germany in 1986 under a program where the west paid to have dissidents released and deported.

He says he still carries his time behind the 'Iron Curtain' with him.

"Life continues. Is something wasted in us? Can we use that experience when starting something new today? I think so," says Grimmling.

"I think that even though the time was horrible I cannot pretend it did not happen. I think that I get the force in my pictures from that time."

The 'Voices of Dissent: Art in the GDR 1976-1989', opens 16 July at the Martin Gropius Bau Museum in Berlin and runs till 26 September.

LEAD IN:

An exhibition tracing dissident art created when East Germany was under Soviet rule is opening in Berlin.

The exhibition 'Voices of Dissent: Art in the GDR 1976-1989' traces the subtle - and sometimes obvious - ways artists tried to show their opposition to the Communist state.

STORY-LINE:

It was a time of the Berlin Wall, constant state surveillance and a suffocating lack of democracy.

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in Soviet-occupied parts of Germany after the Second World War and continued until after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Most parts of a citizens' life were controlled by the state and the communist party – and art was no exception.

Artists were required to create works which suited the ideology of the communist system, preferably with motives that showed the heroism of the working class.

But a number of artists in the GDR refused to conform and created pieces which ignored the required propaganda, or was even blatantly opposed to the regime.

An exhibition showcasing the works by leading oppositional artists is now opening in Berlin.

Hans-Hendrik Grimmling is one such dissident artist included in the exhibit.

After refusing to adapt his paintings to state standards and participating in several artist actions, he came to the attention of the secret police - the Stasi.

"I was not allowed to travel, not even in the Eastern Bloc. My exhibitions were closed down," says Grimmling.

"The seal around me was getting very close, very present. The flow of information stopped. I had a lot of invitations to go to France, but I was not allowed. The feeling of tightness was getting very close and schizophrenic. It was like an infection in us all. And as an artist you are always looking for ways the get healthy and whole again."

Art played an important role in the GDR.

Social realist paintings depicting the glory of the state, the heroism of workers and the enlightenment of the leaders hung in every state building.

Many artists made a good living creating such pictures, others stayed apolitical and kept their head down, some challenged the regime and its artistic norms.

"Of course, many of the artists just painted still life pictures and landscapes and stayed out of politics," explains co-curator Christoph Tannert.

"But on the other side, there were the subculture artists that used a very clear language, either against the aesthetic norms of the artists union, with art that used crazy forms and expressive touches or by using realism and depicting themes that were considered taboo."

The German Democratic Republic (GDR) was established in Soviet-occupied parts of Germany in 1959.

The state was modeled on the Soviet Union with an all-powerful politburo and secret police.

Showing signs of dissent was not easy.

Many dissident artists had to spend time in jail, others were forbidden to travel outside their home cities and most were under constant surveillance.

Instead of creating obviously dissenting art, many painted pictures with codes and hints, or focused on the inner life of the citizens, instead of the politics of the state.

"When you walk through the exhibition you will not see many works that are obviously political," says co-curator, Eugen Blume.

"Most of them are using symbolism and are more concerned with existential questions as with the politics of the GDR. That is what distinguishes the quality of this art, that is concerned with the state of the soul."

Grimmling was finally allowed to emigate to West Germany in 1986 under a program where the west paid to have dissidents released and deported.

He says he still carries his time behind the 'Iron Curtain' with him.

"Life continues. Is something wasted in us? Can we use that experience when starting something new today? I think so," says Grimmling.

"I think that even though the time was horrible I cannot pretend it did not happen. I think that I get the force in my pictures from that time."

The 'Voices of Dissent: Art in the GDR 1976-1989', opens 16 July at the Martin Gropius Bau Museum in Berlin and runs till 26 September.

Berlin, Germany - 15 July 2016

1. Wide of "Das Gespraech" (The Talk) by Reinhard Stangl (1987)

2. Various close shots of "Das Gespraech" (The Talk) by Reinhard Stangl (1987)

3. Various wide shots of exhibition

4. Wide of "Figure" by Mark Lammert (1988)

5. Close tilt up of "Figure" by Mark Lammert (1988)

6. Setup shot of Hans-Hendrik Grimmling, Artist featured in exhibition, standing in front of his work "Die umerziehung der voegel" (The Reeducation of the Bird, 1977) ( Editors please note: the plaster is the result of a minor, unrelated accident at home).

7. Close of Grimmling

8. Various close shots of "Die umerziehung der voegel" (The Reeducation of the Bird, 1977)

9. SOUNDBITE (German) Hans-Hendrik Grimmling, Artist featured in exhibition:

"I was not allowed to travel, not even in the Eastern Bloc. My exhibitions were closed down. The seal around me was getting very close, very present. The flow of information stopped. I had a lot of invitations to go to France, but I was not allowed. The feeling of tightness was getting very close and schizophrenic. It was like an infection in us all. And as an artist you are always looking for ways the get healthy and whole again."

Berlin, Germany - 13 August 1976

10. Pan left along metal barrier on top of wall to East Berlin

11. Wide of red writing on wall, reading: "SUPERMACHTE RAUS AUS DEUTSCHLAND"

12. Close of sign, reading: "You are leaving the American sector." pull out

13. Mid of soldiers behind metal fence

14. Pan right from people to wall and barrier

15. Wide of children playing behind wall, pull out

Berlin, Germany - 15 July 2016

16. Various of remnants of the Berlin Wall standing outside the Martin Gropius Bau Museum where exhibit is taking place

17. Wide of "Der Zugriff" (Access) by Helge Leiberg (1990)

18. Various close shots of "Der Zugriff" (Access) by Helge Leiberg (1990)

19. Close tilt down of "Mann mit Koffer" (Man with Suitcase) by Trak Wendisch (1983)

20. SOUNDBITE (German) Christoph Tannert, Co-Curator of Exhibit:

"Of course, many of the artists just painted still life pictures and landscapes and stayed out of politics. But on the other side, there were the subculture artists that used a very clear language, either against the aesthetic norms of the artists union, with art that used crazy forms and expressive touches or by using realism and depicting themes that were considered taboo."

21. Wide of "Der Buerokrat" (The Bureaucrat) by Frank Maasdorf (1980)

22. Close of "Der Buerokrat" (The Bureaucrat) by Frank Maasdorf (1980)

23. Various pan shots of "Der Buerokrat" (The Bureaucrat) by Frank Maasdorf (1980)

24. Wide of "Ohne titel" (No Title) by A.R. Penck (1974)

25. Various close shots of "Ohne titel" (No Title) by A.R. Penck (1974)

26. SOUNDBITE (German) Eugen Blume, Co-Curator of Exhibit:

"When you walk through the exhibition you will not see many works that are obviously political. Most of them are using symbolism and are more concerned with existential questions as with the politics of the GDR. That is what distinguishes the quality of this art, that is concerned with the state of the soul."

27. Wide of woman looking at various paintings

28. Close of "Weisse Bildnis" (White portrait) by Strawlade (1984)

29. Wide of "Animateur - Auch ein Kunstleben - Arschloch" by Hans Scheib (1986)

30. Various of "Animateur - Auch ein Kunstleben - Arschloch" by Hans Scheib (1986)

31. SOUNDBITE (German) Hans-Hendrik Grimmling, Artist featured in exhibition:

"Life continues. Is something wasted in us? Can we use that experience when starting something new today? I think so. I think that even though the time was horrible (Note: Grimmling uses an expletive here) I cannot pretend it did not happen. I think that I get the force in my pictures from that time."

32. Pull out of "Der ewige Soldat" (The Eternal Solider) by Peter Herrmann (1969-1970)

33. Wide of "Der ewige Soldat" (The Eternal Solider) by Peter Herrmann (1969-1970)

34. Close of "Der ewige Soldat" (The Eternal Solider) by Peter Herrmann (1969-1970)

US Secretary of State John Kerry and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited one of the few remaining sections of the Berlin Wall on Wednesday.

Ahead of next month's 25th anniversary of the Wall coming down, they met with high-school pupils who were about the same age as Kerry when he lived in Berlin in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Kerry, who was also introduced to a woman who fled East Germany in a Trabant car to Hungary, said the Berlin Wall is a reminder of the "freedom for people living in places like Germany, the United States, that we enjoy today".

At a news conference in Berlin, Steinmeier thanked the United States for its "unconditional support".

Separately, Kerry discussed the release of an Ohio man detained for nearly half a year in North Korea

Jeffrey Fowle, one of three Americans held by Pyongyang who had not been convicted of charges, landed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, for an emotional reunion with his family on Wednesday.

Kerry said "there was no quid pro quo" for Fowle's release and that Washington was "very concerned about the remaining American citizens who are in North Korea".

Relations between Washington and Pyongyang, never warm, are at a particularly low point, and the US has sought unsuccessfully for months to send a high-level representative to North Korea to negotiate acquittals for all three men.

AP TELEVISION

Berlin - 22 October, 2014

1. US Secretary of State John Kerry holding umbrella, then walking towards war memorial

2. Pan from war memorial to Kerry and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier

3. Pan from Kerry and Steinmeier to Trabant car

4. Various of Kerry and Steinmeier talking to Regina Webert-Lehmann, a woman who fled the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany

5. Kerry and Steinmeier walking towards Joachim Neumann, who as a student participated in the digging of a secret escape tunnel under the Berlin Wall

6. Kerry talking to Neumann

7. School pupils in front of segment of the former "death strip" on the east side of the Wall

8. Kerry and Steinmeier standing next to school pupils

9. Kerry and officials walking away from the "death strip"

++INTERIOR SHOTS++

10. Kerry signing guest book

11. Close of Kerry signing guest book

12. Steinmeier signing guest book then shaking hands with Kerry

13. Kerry and Steinmeier at lecterns

14. Cameraman

15 SOUNDBITE (German) Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister:

"We are delighted that 25 years later we are able to say, '25 years ago the division of Germany was overcome and the division of Europe was overcome,' and dear John, let me explicitly state, all of this would not have been possible without the unconditional support provided to us by the US, it would not have been feasible, and the Germans will never forget this."

16. Kerry and Steinmeier at lecterns

17. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"Parts of this wall and what it symbolises and it's coming down are in countries around the world to inspire people, so it is there also to remind us that the struggle that took place here decades ago, and to remind us that freedom for people living in places like Germany, the United States, that we enjoy today - the ability to choose our political leaders, the ability to descend, the ability to criticise, to say what we want, to pursue whatever opportunities we desire; these freedoms are still being threatened in too many parts of the world."

18. Cutaway of media

19. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kerry, US Secretary of State:

"No, there is no 'quid pro quo,' and we are very concerned about the remaining American citizens who are in North Korea and we have great hopes that North Korea will see the benefit of releasing them also as soon as possible."

20. Kerry and Steinmeier leaving news conference

One day ahead of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the "Falling Walls Conference", an international historical science conference held in Berlin as a part of the anniversary celebrations.

Merkel stressed that "in the long run, the human urge for freedom cannot be oppressed."

"The human desire to determine one's own fate ended the inhuman division of Europe and the Cold War," she said, reflecting on the historical importance of the November 9th 1989 anniversary.

"Freedom opens up new world. He who can think and research freely is awarded with new perspectives, new ways of thinking and the freedom to break new ground," she told the audience.

Merkel, 60, grew up in East Germany.

Official celebrations to mark the fall of the wall will conclude in Berlin on Sunday.

A 15-kilometre (nine-mile) chain of lighted balloons along the former border will be released into the air early Sunday evening - around the time on November 9, 1989 when a garbled announcement by a senior communist official set off the chain of events that brought down the Cold War's most potent symbol.

AGENCY POOL

Berlin - 8 November 2014

1. Zoom out of German Chancellor Angela Merkel greeting science conference hosts

2. Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer (on her left) speaking to conference host

3. Tracking shot of Merkel walking up to podium as audience applauds

4. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"Tomorrow, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall. This day clearly shows us that in the long run, the human urge for freedom cannot be oppressed."

5. Audience listening

6. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"Unlike in 1953 (the East German uprising which was violently struck down), 1956 in Hungary, 1968 in Czechoslovakia or 1981 in Poland with Solidarnosc (Polish trade union) , the longing for freedom and self-determination could not be crushed. Neither in East Germany nor elsewhere. The human desire to determine one's own fate ended the inhumane division of Europe and the Cold War."

7. Merkel speaking

8. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, German Chancellor:

"Freedom is a necessary premise and an engine, so to speak. Freedom opens up new world. He who can think and research freely is awarded with new perspectives, new ways of thinking and the freedom to break new ground."

9. Merkel receiving award, holding piece of the Berlin Wall

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas warned of the threat of a new Cold War during speeches at an event on Saturday to mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"Bloodshed in Europe and the Middle East against the backdrop of a breakdown in dialogue between major powers is of enormous concern right now," Gorbachev said.

He also called for renewed trust to be built through dialogue with Moscow, and suggested the West should lift sanctions imposed against senior Russian officials over its actions in eastern Ukraine.

Dumas stressed the importance of peace, respect and "a strong and brave disarmament policy", without which, he said, "everything could start over again tomorrow."

Meanwhile, preparations for the anniversary celebration were in full swing.

Choir rehearsals were taking place and workers were setting up cables for a live transmission of the event near the city's Brandenburg Gate.

A 15 kilometre (9.5 mile) chain of light balloons was set along the former wall path near the German parliament and river Spree.

The balloons will be released into the air early Sunday evening, around the same time that, on 9 November 1989, an announcement by a senior government official set off the chain of events that brought down the Berlin Wall.

AP TELEVISION

Berlin, Germany - 8 November 2014

1. Various of choir rehearsal on stage Brandenburg gate

2. Staff talking on stage

3. Zoom out of light balloon installation

4. Man preparing light balloon

5. Balloon installation, crowd watching

6. Various of staff setting up stage

7. Various of newsgathering satellite vans

8. Former French Foreign Minister Roland Dumas (standing up with walking stick) and former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev (seated) attending symposium

9. Cameraman

10. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Russian President:

"Bloodshed in Europe and the Middle East against the backdrop of a breakdown in dialogue between major powers is of enormous concern right now."

11. Cutaway of people attending symposium

12. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Russian President:

"The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some people are even saying that it's already begun."

13. Dumas and Gorbachev at symposium

14. SOUNDBITE (French) Roland Dumas, Former French Foreign Minister:

"I tell you, my friends, without peace, without respect between nations, and without a strong and brave disarmament policy, everything could start over again tomorrow. Even everything we used to know, and what we named 'Cold War'."

15. Various of balloon installation close to German parliament

16. Various of people at memorial for victims of Berlin Wall

17. Various of balloon installation at river Spree marking former wall path along German parliament and river Spree

T/I 10:00:10

WALL BABIES CELEBRATE 5TH ANNIVERSARY OF WALL'S FALL

Berlin, Germany Natsot Duration: 1.43"

Sixty German children born on November 9th, 1989 -- the day when the Berlin wall came down -- have gone to the city's Town Hall to mark the fifth anniversary of its fall. Hosted by the city's mayor, Eberhard Diepgen, the event was sponsored by the car manufacturer, Volkswagen-Audi; the car company which has adopted the role of "godfather" for each of the children. November 9th, 1989 was a landmark in German history, as Berliners from east and west came together to drink champagne, embrace and dance on the wall that divided their city for 28 years.

SHOWS:

(BERLIN, GERMANY 9/11) Exterior city hall. Two girls. PAN to birthday cake. Children at party. Diegpen cutting the cake. Diegpen handing out the cake. Small boy running around with balloon. Group of kids. More balloons and kids. WS table as cake is handed out. VS cake. Small boy. WS of event.

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said on Sunday that the "Europeans and the Americans should continue to work with Russia."

Gorbachev, who was speaking at an event marking the 25th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down, said "the more pressure there is on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from the outside (world), the more people actually support and trust him (in Russia)."

Russia's relations with the West have plunged to their lowest point since the Cold War over Moscow's annexation of Crimea and its support for the insurgency in the east.

The United States and the European Union have slapped sanctions on Moscow, one of the reasons the value of the Russian ruble has plunged more than 40 percent this year.

On Friday, Gorbachev said the collapse of the Berlin Wall demonstrated how important good relations between Germany and Russia were for the entire world.

During its 28-year existence, the Berlin Wall served as a symbol for communist oppression.

Western leaders, including US President John F. Kennedy, often had a stop at the Wall when they visited Berlin.

The ominous, grey concrete barrier served as the backdrop for US President Ronald Reagan's call in 1987 to then-Soviet leader Gorbachev to "tear down this wall".

AP TELEVISION

Berlin - 9 November, 2014

1. Exterior of Allianz Forum building

2. Close of sign reading (English) "Allianz Forum"

3. Former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev (centre) sitting at table

4. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev,Former President of the Soviet Union:

"The more pressure there is on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from the outside (world), the more people actually support and trust him (in Russia)."

5. Gorbachev and officials seated during event

6. Close of Gorbachev

7. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former President of the Soviet Union:

"But there are still opportunities and there is still time to work with Russia. I believe that the Europeans and the Americans should continue to work with Russia. I wrote a letter two months ago to the leaders of Russia and the United States about this."

8. Gorbachev and officials seated during event

9. Tilt up from Gorbachev signing documents to Gorbachev's face, then tilt down back to Gorbachev signing documents

10. Wide of Gorbachev at end of event, passing over documents

11. Cameramen

12. Gorbachev talking to media as he leaves event

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said on Friday the collapse of the Berlin Wall demonstrated how important good relations between Germany and Russia were for the entire world.

Gorbachev spoke to a crowd at the former site of Berlin's famous Checkpoint Charlie crossing point, two days before the 25th anniversary of the Wall's fall.

He was honoured by Cinema of Peace Foundation for his role in bringing down the Iron Curtain between East and West Europe.

The elder statesman, who kept Soviet troops stationed in East Germany in their barracks the night of 9 November 1989, said "as long as Russians and Germans understand each other, as long as our relationship is good, then everyone benefits."

Ties between Berlin and Moscow have been strained recently by the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

AP TELEVISION

++NIGHT SHOTS++

Berlin (at former site of Checkpoint Charlie) - 7 November 2014

1. Crowd at former border crossing known as Checkpoint Charlie

2. Original piece of the Berlin Wall being transported for official ceremony by Cinema for Peace for former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev

3. Plaque with inscription reading (English) "25 Years of the Fall of the Berlin Wall Hero of Peace Mikhail Gorbachew"

4. Plaque with people in the background

5. Gorbachev arriving for ceremony

6. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Mikhail Gorbachev, Former Soviet Union President:

"We must always remember the lessons of the past and we must learn from the past and we have learnt from the past that as long as the Russians and Germans understand each other, as long as our relationship is good, then everyone benefits. This means we have to make sure that it stays so. I wish you all happiness, health and success and I am proud that I helped in some way, so that we can live the way we live today and that our relations are how they are. I wish you all well."

7. Cutaway of journalists

8. Gorbachev placing hands on part of the original Berlin Wall to create hand print

9. Close-up of Gorbachev's hands

10. Gorbachev leaving ceremony

11. Gorbachev's hand print on plaque

12. Hand print plaque surrounded by journalists

13. White balloons marking the place where the Berlin Wall formerly stood

14. Balloon structures

Anti-Donald Trump protesters gathered at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Friday to destroy a wall bearing the image of the US Republican presidential candidate.

With just days to go before the United States voter registration deadline, the group was calling on Americans living in Germany to register to vote to stop Trump at the November poll.

Berlin - 23 September 2016

1. Wall with an image of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and message reading (English): "United to stop Trump"

2. Trump opponents holding signs at demonstration

3. Photographer taking photos of demonstrators in front of wall, which has been set up in front of the Brandenburg Gate

4. Demonstrator at rally

5. Wall with image of Trump

Anti-Donald Trump protesters have destroyed a wall bearing an image of the US Republican presidential candidate at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Friday.

With just days to go before the United States voter registration deadline, the group was calling on Americans living in Germany to register to vote to stop Trump at the November poll.

Berlin - 23 September 2016

1. Wall with an image of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and message reading (English): "United to stop Trump" being knocked down by protesters, AUDIO: cheering and music

SHOTLIST:

1. Zoom in on Reichstag parliament building with flags at half mast

2. Pan from sign at entrance to former American sector to picture of U-S soldier on bill board

3. Pan from Check Point Charlie to black and white photograph exhibition poster

4. Close up of black and white photograph

5. Close up of a second black and white photograph

6. Mid shot of Berlin parliament building with flags at half mast with black and white photo exhibition

7. Mid shot of people carrying wreaths

8. Wide shot of people laying wreaths

9. Mid shot of Angela Merkel, leader of the opposition C-D-U party

10. Pan across wreath

11. Cutaway of cameraman

12. Mid shot Angela Merkel with wreaths

13. Mid shot of Angela Merkel and other C-D-U members observing minute of silence

14. Cutaway photographer

15. Mid shot of wreaths

16. Pan from church to memorial statue of two figures

17. SOUNDBITE (German): Vox pop:

"I was born in '51 and I experienced it as a child and afterwards. I am very touched (by the memorial)"

18 SOUNDBITE (German): Vox pop:

"It was a disgusting thing. We are here today to remember the people who lost their lives."

19. Pan from bell ringers to the bells

STORYLINE:

The anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall was marked for the first time on Monday with flags flying at half mast on the Reichstag parliament building 40 year after the infamous structure was built.

The first wreaths were laid on Monday morning by Angela Merkel, leader of the opposition C-D-U party, in advance of ceremonies later in the day including one by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.

Merkel and her colleagues then observed a minute's silence.

Some sources estimate that nearly 1,000 people died trying to flee to the west, including 250 of those at the wall itself.

German rulers closed the border between East and West Berlin on August 13, 1961, to stop the flood of people leaving the communist country.

To try and preserve the wall's history, the Berlin city government said on Sunday it would pass a resolution this week declaring the few remaining sections of the former barrier as protected memorials.

European leaders old and new attended a special ceremony in Berlin on Sunday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Among the distinguished guests were former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who was instrumental in ending the Cold War.

In 1987, he was famously told by then-US President Ronald Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall".

On the night of 9 November, 1989, thousands of East Berliners streamed through the once-closed border crossings after communist authorities caved in to mounting pressure and relaxed travel restrictions that had prevented their citizens from going to the west for decades.

Gorbachev was honoured at the ceremony for his role in the wall's demise and received a standing ovation.

Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit and European Parliament President Martin Schulz were among those to speak at the event, which was held at the Konzerthaus, a concert hall in the German capital.

Schulz called on European leaders to take heed of the lessons learned from Berlin's divide.

"Let's say it clear, the right to travel and live anywhere in Europe is the biggest achievement of European unification," he said.

POOL

Berlin, Germany - 9 November, 2014

1. Various of guests arriving for ceremony including including Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit (blue tie), German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Parliament President Martin Schulz

2. Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, (maroon tie) greeting guests as they arrive

3. Tilt down from chandeliers to ceremony

4. From left to right: Gorbachev, Wowereit, Merkel and Schulz seated at ceremony, UPSOUND (English) Recording of historic soundbite by former US President Ronald Reagan: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall". Gorbachev nodding as he listens to the recording

5. Wide of ceremony

6. Pan of audience members including, from right to left: Merkel, the former president of Poland Lech Walesa, Schulz, Wowereit and Gorbachev

7. Wide of ceremony, UPSOUND (English) "AP Network News, Germany opens the doors to the West."

8. Tilt down from chandeliers to ceremony, orchestra assembled on stage

9. Wide of ceremony, conductor walking on stage

10. Crowd clapping

11. Various of conductor and orchestra, AUDIO: Music

12. Crowd clapping

13. Conductor bowing

14. Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit speaking on stage

15. Close of Gorbachev listening to Wowereit as he talks about the former Soviet leader, crowd start clapping

16. Various of crowd applauding Gorbachev; who receives a standing ovation

17. Gorbachev shaking hands with various guests, including Merkel whose hand he raises into the air

18. SOUNDBITE (German) Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament:

++SOUNDBITE PART OVERLAID BY CUTAWAYS OF CEREMONY++

"Everywhere in Europe, nationalistic prejudices flare up again, populists campaign again, other people with crude paroles, they stir up hatred of Europeans against Europeans. The propagandists of nationalism are riding the wave again. Twenty-five years after we teared down walls where people were killed for wanting freedom, they are calling for new borders due to problems, which, for sure, exist, but are resolvable. Will we accept that new walls and borders are built in Europe? Let's say it clear, the right to travel and live anywhere in Europe is the biggest achievement of European unification. It is exactly this right which was denied to people for a long time."

19. Schulz standing at lectern, audience applauding

19. Exterior of Konzerthaus Berlin where event was held

South Korean President Park Geun Hye visited Berlin's East Side Gallery on Thursday.

The East Side Gallery is an international memorial to freedom along a 1.3 kilometre-long (0.8 miles) section of the former Berlin Wall.

Some 106 murals by international artists cover the memorial, making it the largest open-air gallery in the world.

A temporary photo exhibition tells the story of former divided Germany and the divided Korean peninsula.

AP TELEVISION

1. South Korean President Park Geun-hye walking along East Side Gallery

2. Various of Park looking at exhibits

Manuel Valls made his first visit to Germany as France's prime minister on Monday, meeting German political leaders at an event to commemorate the centenary of the beginning of the First World War.

Speaking at the French Cathedral in Berlin, itself a symbol of Franco-German friendship, Valls said the two nations were working together to come up with a "firm and united response" to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

He said the crisis was the biggest risk to freedom and stability in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

He attended the event with German politician and European Parliament president Martin Schulz and German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.

AP TELEVISION

1. French prime minister Manuel Valls (centre) walking with European Parliament president Martin Schulz (left) and German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel (right)

2. Cutaway audience

3. Media taking photographs of Valls, Schulz and Gabriel

4. Various of Valls, Schulz and Gabriel sitting

5. Zoom in of Valls on stage

6. Cutaway audience

7. SOUNDBITE (French) Manuel Valls, French prime minister:

"The Ukrainian crisis is without a doubt one of the biggest risks to freedom and stability in Europe since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Because these acts cannot be without consequence, Germany and France are once again working continuously towards a firm and united response."

8. Pan of audience

9. Exterior of the French Cathedral

T/I 10:30:44

POST-WALL BERLIN IS FAR FROM UTOPIA

Berlin, Germany Natural Sound Duration: 1.12"

Berlin, a city with two centres but no heart, is drifting through the mid-1990s in search of its identity. The German government is due to move from Bonn to Berlin by the year 2000. But Berlin's 3.4 million citizens fear that parliamentarians, who still grieve over the 1991 vote to move the seat of government from Bonn, will delay or derail the move. Federal subsidies for Berlin dried up after the Berlin Wall came down five years ago. Since 1989, Berlin's debt has soard to 7.5 billion marks ($4.4 billion) a year to pay for its own mini-reunification. This has triggered draconian cuts in city services. At the same time, huge construction projects are causing enormous traffic jams. A frightening increase in crime also has marred the reputation of Berlin, which forever is fretting about what the world thinks of it. The ostensible differences between east and west Berliners, such as wages, are narrowing. But less tangible gaps, like preferences, seem to be widening further. "The concrete Wall is gone, but the Wall in our minds and our habits is certainly there," said Peter Jakob, a spokesman for the Berlin city government.

SHOWS:

Berlin sign saying "you are leaving the American sector." Goods laid on tourist stall. Tourists peering up. Checkpoint Charlie sign advertising passport stamps. Checkpoint tower. Slabs of what remains of the Berlin Wall, looking toward the east. Slabs of wall being torn down by crowd in November 1989. Crowd cheering. Soldiers from eastern side stepping through gap in wall. Girl picking at wall. Car driving past with woman carrying champagne and yellow flowers. Car driving through hole in wall. Person on bike follows. Bus driving along road flanking western side of wall. Various views of recent construction work in Berlin.