Today in History - August 12: One million people left prisoners in their own city
On August 12, 1961, the Communist government of East Germany closed the border and began to build a barbed wire and concrete barrier between East and West Berlin.
The installation became known as the Berlin Wall, the most notorious symbol of the Cold War.
Over the following years, the Berlin Wall was strengthened to include watch towers, machine gun post and minefields, all designed to stop East Berlin's 1.06 million population from moving to the free western part of the city.
It left many families in the city divided, with movement from east to west strictly controlled.
In December 1989, the hated barrier was finally torn down, with the collapse of the Soviet Union and its communist allies, including East Germany.
The Berlin Wall separated East and West Berlin for over 28 years.
The Russian navy's submarine Kursk sunk during exercises in the Barents Sea on August 12, 2000, when a huge explosion ripped through the vessel.
Despite some survivors managing to cling on to life in the stricken submarine, the Russian military refused offers of help from western navies to rescue them.
All 118 crew died from the disaster.
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