Helmstedt–Marienborn border crossing

The border crossing Helmstedt -Marie Born was the largest and most important border crossing on the inner German border during the division of Germany and consisted of the " checkpoint Helmstedt " and the " border crossing point Marie Born" ( border crossing ). Because of the geographical proximity to West Berlin, the brunt of the transit traffic between West Germany and Berlin was settled over this border crossing. He also served the tourist traffic in the GDR, Poland and other Eastern Bloc countries. It was between 1945 and 1990 and regulated the border traffic on the highway 2 and the railway traffic between the West German and East German district of Helmstedt municipality Marie Born.

History

First checkpoints

The checkpoint was set up on 1 July 1945 by the four victorious Allied powers between the British and Soviet occupation zone and included the interzonal railway and motor vehicle traffic on the then Imperial Highway Hannover- Berlin. The checkpoints for vehicle traffic were directly at the zone boundary and insisted on both sides of temporary wooden buildings.

The most important intra- German motorway border crossing Helmstedt was designated by the Western Allies over time as Checkpoint Alpha. The further east Checkpoint Three Linden as the end of the transit route to Berlin was designated Bravo. Its importance was the passage also by the fact that it represented the shortest route to West Berlin, with 167 km. During the Berlin Blockade between June 1948 and May 1949, the border crossing for the highway traffic as well as the railway was closed.

Border crossing point Marie Born

Originally operated exclusively by the Soviet occupation forces, took over after the founding of the GDR in 1950, the East German border troops reinforced the border crossing on the eastern side. Due to increasing political tensions during the Cold War between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union border clearance facilities were expanded significantly in the following years and tightened the control measures. Nevertheless, the border crossing at the temporary facility was considered unsafe.

Between 1972 and 1974, the GDR built near the old Kontrollbauten a 35 -acre border crossing point ( border crossing ) at Marie Born, on a hilltop was about 1.5 km after the border to eastern area. The freeway portion between the actual border and the border crossing was backed by extensive border fortifications and concrete walls along the route. About an increased cross-border traffic control center were observed and extendable vehicle roll locks are activated in case of need. At times, on the site of up to 1,000 staff in the areas of passport control, customs, border troops and the Ministry for State Security ( Stasi) operates. The numerous buildings were connected by an underground tunnel supply system. Access to and knowledge of the tunnels were a small group of employees reserved. The GDR border troops were housed in directly adjacent barracks.

From 1984 to 1989 some ten million passenger cars and about five million trucks were dispatched.

Soviet checkpoint " Sierra Alpha"

The controls Allied vehicles on the east side remained throughout the duration of the border crossing Soviet border guards who have resided in separate control buildings ( Western Allies designation: "Checkpoint Alpha Sierra " ) were settled.

Seen the first signs of the west boundary

GDR border catapult to prevent the flight (in both directions ),

Border crossing point Marie Born 1990

Passport controls at the border crossing point

Soviet checkpoint

Highway checkpoint Helmstedt

Checkpoint Helmstedt

In the 1950s Germany were perceived the freight and passenger controls of the West German customs authorities and the newly established Federal after the founding of the Federal Republic. The highway - handling facilities on the western side were due to their politically motivated character dimensioned as " temporary " in comparison to the facilities in Marie Born significantly smaller. Only in the late 1970s was also a modern extension of the terminal building. The steadily increasing over time traffic figures and the strict East German control measures led to considerable delays and congestion. On the West German side then an increased expansion of car parks and motorway service stations was operated. Unique in the Federal German Road Transport History Until the end of the 1970s, the construction of a pedestrian crossing for pedestrians on the Federal Highway 2 just before the border crossing facilities.

Checkpoint Alpha

The three Western victorious Allied powers (United States, United Kingdom and France) retained sovereignty over the Allied border traffic analogous to the Soviet establishment on the eastern side. The Checkpoint Alpha was housed in a separate building the checkpoint Helmstedt and could be reached via its own access roads. In the town of Helmstedt were up to the dissolution of the smaller checkpoints French, British and American military contingents.

The checkpoint was one of three used by the Allies control points. Its western ( the former British zone of occupation belonging ) page named as "Checkpoint Alpha" after the first letter of the current ICAO alphabet. Checkpoint Bravo was the American side of the border control point three Linden Drewitz and Checkpoint Charlie the Allied border crossing in Berlin.

The nomenclature checkpoint checkpoint results in contrast to the eastern designation border crossing point ( border crossing ) from the fact that was not recognized by the western side of the international legal legitimacy as a state border. In this regard, came under the de facto recognition of the GDR as a state in 1972 for the inner German border a change, but do not for the sector of Berlin.

Railway border crossing

The originally more important by its passenger and freight traffic railway border traffic at the railway Brunswick- Magdeburg was settled via the two border stations in Helmstedt and Marie Born. Each train from the east or west of you had to stop at both stations. In addition, had to be made in later years by the lack of electrification of the railway line on GDR territory, a change from West German electrical - to East German diesel locomotives.

The Western Allies Interzone rail to Berlin was also performed on this border crossing. Several times a day such perverse military trains to Berlin. There are transported both teams as well as heavy equipment ( vehicles, tanks, etc.). The customs clearance of these traits in Marie Born was carried out by Soviet border units.

Resolution of the border crossing

On November 9, 1989, the night the Berlin Wall fell, Annemarie Reffert crossed with her daughter Juliane at 21:15 clock at the border crossing Helmstedt -Marie Born the inner German border. This is considered the first out after the press conference Günter Schabowski on the same day about new travel regulations for GDR citizens. In the course of political change in the GDR in the fall of 1989, the border controls in the subsequent period considerably softens until it completely accounted for a few months later: Already before German reunification, the border crossing on 30 June 1990 was concluded before the beginning of the German Economic and Monetary Union, exactly 45 years after its establishment. Since October 1990, the former border clearance facilities are available in the GDR Marie Born under a preservation order, but the former GDR departure area was demolished for traffic reasons. In the transformational steps prior to the earlier transition a highway rest stop with parking spaces created.

The former West German border at Helmstedt buildings were demolished or supplied to any other use.

Checkpoint Helmstedt after the opening of the border

Sculpture La voûte des mains on former West German side

Untapped clearance terminal 1990

Memorial German division Marienborn

On 13 August 1996, the 7 ½ -acre memorial " German division Marie Born" was opened on the site of the former border crossing point. Operator of the documentation center is the state of Saxony -Anhalt. Visitors can free admission the spacious grounds with the various institutions, such as passport control, car entry, control box - departure, conning tower, even explore. On weekends and holidays there are often free tours. In the former headquarters building, an exhibition will be presented. The former West German border at Helmstedt buildings were demolished or supplied to any other use. Since 2004, the Grenzdenkmal about 18 km south -lying Hötensleben with its former border installations on 350 m length of the memorial. Since 19 December 2011, the memorial is one with the investments in Hötensleben to the European cultural heritage.

The memorial is accessible via the BAB 2 in the direction of Berlin at the exit to the gas station with service area and parking. Warning: There is no access to the site, the memorial can only be accessed on foot. In the highway opposite direction to Hanover exit Alleringersleben (junction 64) is increasing. More Transportation Options is available via the B 1 and B 245, which is approached via the rear of the system, in which there is a parking lot.