East German spymaster Markus Wolf buried in Berlin

BERLIN, Nov 25 (Reuters) Several hundred people gathered at a cemetery in east Berlin today to bury Markus Wolf, the legendary East German spymaster who died earlier this month at the age of 83.

As head of the elite foreign intelligence division of the communist state's Stasi secret police, Wolf masterminded some of the Cold War's most audacious operations.

He planted an agent close to West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, a move which led to Brandt's downfall when the spy was exposed in 1974.

''Markus Wolf was a true and loyal friend of my country,'' said Russia's Ambassador to Berlin Vladimir Kotenev after the funeral ceremony. He first met Wolf 20 years ago.

''He was an important person, an extraordinary person, highly intelligent and very faithful,'' said Kotenev.

The remains of the spymaster, who had been cremated, were buried at the Central Cemetry in Friedrichsfelde, resting place for many prominent left-wing figures, including Wilhelm Liebknecht, founder of Germany's Social Democrats, and Wolf's former boss, Erich Mielke, the head of the Stasi.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Wolf fled to the Soviet Union. After the collapse of communism there he was handed to his old Western foes and charged with treason in 1993.

He received a six-year sentence which was later suspended.

Wolf died peacefully in his sleep in Berlin 17 years to the day after the Berlin Wall fell.

Reuters KR VP0017