Wild jubilation spread throughout West Berlin yesterday as thousands of East Berliners, cheering, singing and waving flags, streamed across the Wall to see for themselves the other half of a city that has been sealed off for 28 years.

Thousands of young West Berliners clambered on to the concrete wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate to look across in amazement at the lines of police who stood, revolvers firmly locked in their holsters, smiling at the young people on the Eastern side who came up to them with flowers and smiles.

Huge traffic jams built up all along the Wall as Berliners left their work to witness the amazing scenes. Many had tears in their eyes as they cheered and waved.

``I just had to come, to see the Wall now,'' one man said. ``I don't think it will be here for much longer.''

Indeed, on the Eastern side a large crane was being erected amid speculation that the East Germans would soon start to dismantle the hated concrete blocks that make up the barrier that for so long has kept families apart and symbolized a divided city and a divided Europe.

An almost carnival atmosphere reigned. East Germans wandered, dazed, being greeted spontaneously by West Berliners. ``Ah, more wall-jumpers,'' one group of young people said.

At Checkpoint Charlie, the main crossing point from East to West Berlin, a huge crowd gathered to toast with ``champagne'' every East German car as it came across, in an unending stream. Thousands of people applauded and thumped on the roof of each car, crowding in upon them and shaking the hands of the families inside.

They threw rice and confetti and even the East German guards, uncharacteristically relaxed and nonchalant, managed a few smiles at the extraordinary scenes. There was also a steady stream of cars going back, much to the relief of the authorities in both halves of the city.

Many of the visitors went into the big shops of West Berlin where they bought souvenirs, jeans, perfume, fruit, Walkman radios and anything they could afford to take to friends and relatives.

Some even joined in the lotto draws, hoping to win enough to make their dream trip come true.

Such a crowd built up all around the crossing points that Berlin traffic virtually ground to a halt.

As cars stretched bumper-to-bumper along the 17th of June Street named after the failed East German revolution in 1953 one man in a Mercedes pulled out a bottle of pink Russian sparkling wine and called over to the two young men in an East German Trabant to join him in a toast.

Another man voiced the feeling of everyone: ``There can be no going back now. We have to hope that Berlin will become one again.''

Never have so many East German cars, belching acrid blue fumes, been seen in West Berlin. Not since the last desperate days before the Wall went up in 1961 have so many East Berliners streamed in. By mid-morning, tens of thousands had crossed.

During the night the East Germans had removed all barriers and at 8am were ready to stamp exit permits.

Reports said that at least 1,000 people had already applied to stay here permanently, and that the city council was preparing emergency shelters for thousands more. A city official said they could accommodate up to 8,000 people. ``But we hope that they will not all come.''

In front of the Soviet War Memorial in West Berlin the Soviet guards stood, as every day, silent and impassive. But this time the crowds passing gave occasional cheers, as if to thank President Gorbachov.