Actor David Hasselhoff has backed a campaign to protect part of Germany's historic Berlin Wall from demolition.

The Baywatch star famously sang on top of the structure in 1989, a year before East and West Germany were reunified and Berlin became a single, undivided city again.

Most of the wall was torn down in 1990, but a large part of the barrier is still standing, and developers now want to demolish a section to make way for apartment buildings.

The plans have drawn criticism and protests, and Hasselhoff has now thrown his support behind a drive to keep the wall in place because of its historical significance.

In a post on his Twitter.com page, he writes, "Where do I sign? How can you tear down the wall that signifies freedom, perseverance and the sacrifice of human life."

A petition to protect the wall has so far gained more than 53,000 signatures.