BERLIN, April 30 (Xinhuanet) -- Several German cities and towns held rallies Friday night to celebrate the formal accession of east European countries into European Union (EU).

    Near the city of Frankfurt, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer and his Polish counterpart Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz shook hands at the bridge across the Oder river, which is the border between the two countries, to mark the beginning of the EU enlargement.

    "This is an historic moment when our two countries, foes so many times over so many centuries, can join hands in joyous friendship at long last," Fischer said.

    Fireworks soared overhead as the two foreign ministers shook hands and embraced each other to the cheers of large crowds on both sides of the river.

    In Zittau, a town on the borders with Poland and the Czech Republic, thousands turned out for a festive rally which is the first of a series of celebrations over the weekend.

    Speaking at the rally, former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said that "Germany is politically the main beneficiary" of the united Europe as now "our land is surrounded by friends and partners."

    "We never want again trenches in Europe," said Kohl. "This is the original and most important reason for the political unification of Europe."

    On Saturday, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, his Czech andPolish counterparts, Vladimir Spidla and Leszek Miller, will attend another celebration in Zittau before jointly flying to Dublin on a German airforce plane.

    At Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, thousands of Berliners took part in an outdoor festival featuring entertainment and cuisine from the 10 new EU countries.

    At midnight, fireworks were also fired in downtown Berlin, while the chorus at the city theater was singing the Ludwig van Beethoven 's "Ode to Joy". Enditem