Berlin border crossings

The border crossings in Berlin caused by the division of Germany. In 1952 there were at the external border between West Berlin and the GDR surrounding border security systems and transitions or control stations. After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 transitions were added ( Soviet sector, capital of the GDR ) and West Berlin (sectors of the three Western Allies ) within the urban area of the four sector city of Berlin, between East Berlin. Initially, there were very few, in the course of time but they were removed after tough negotiations. The East German designation for the transitions of the controlled border traffic was: border crossing point, guest or border crossing.

When crossing the border there was no difference between East Berliners and GDR citizens: East Berlin was under GDR perspective GDR citizens. From the western side of the Soviet sector of Greater Berlin ( East Berlin) was occupation law not considered part of the GDR, although East Berlin district under GDR and Soviet view territorially belonged to the GDR and their capital was. From a Western point of view, there was only a single German citizenship for those living in the Federal Republic, the GDR, West Berlin and East Berlin citizens. Therefore also received GDR citizens when they were visiting in the former Federal Republic, issued a passport of the Federal Republic of Germany without any problems.

3.2.1 road crossings
3.2.2 frontier stations

4.1 August 1961
4.2 Extensions 1989/1990
4.3 resolution

Controls on the East Berlin side

Between the two halves of the city and on the outskirts of West Berlin to the GDR border and transit crossings have been greatly expanded on the GDR side. It was controlled extremely sharp at the entry and exit of the frontier authorities and customs. The outer border security and securing the border crossing points took special security companies of the Border Troops of the GDR ( SiK ).

The actual passenger and vehicle control was carried out by the passport control units (PKE ). The PKE were not organizationally under the border troops of the GDR and thus the Ministry of Defense, but the Ministry for State Security ( Department VI / Department 6, passport control ). The PKE wore while on duty at the border crossing station in the uniform of the border troops. Only specially trained forces were used for the control of persons. The passports, identity cards, etc. could be transmitted by means of video signal from the control stations in a central search room and recorded as needed last. There was the verification of the person in the existing search collections. Using numerical code display could possibly be made a command transmission to the controller, scroll, for example, request additional documents, slow clearance, provide predefined questions. Unlike in the Federal Republic of Germany ( visa issuance through embassies ) was the issuing of visas required ( transit and entry visas ) for the most part at the border crossing points of the GDR. This was associated with a significant human and organizational effort, which also explains the numerical strength of the passport control units and the spatial dimensions of some border crossing (transit passes).

West Berlin had with their " Makeshift Berlin identity card " ( passports of the Federal Republic were not recognized by the GDR authorities, when was registered as a resident of Berlin) before applying for a certificate of eligibility for a day or multiple-entry visa. There were in the western districts of Berlin five offices for visit and travel needs, so East offices in the western part of the city. A distinction was made between relatives or known visits and tourist arrivals. With a visa for East Berlin, the city of Berlin was not allowed to leave. The minimum subscription amounts ( conversion of DM in Mark of the GDR at the border) were for East Berlin and the rest of East Germany from 1974 to 1980 different (6.50 DM for East Berlin, 13 DM for the rest of the GDR ), a uniform 25 DM then. the time, there were already counted the money packed in plastic bags - one bag for East Berlin, two bags for the GDR. The departure had to be done at least 24 clock, a night in East Berlin was normally not possible.

Checks on the West Berlin side

On the West Berlin side had the police and the customs post. There was usually no controls in passenger transport.

After the Western policy felt that it was no border control, as the sector boundary was no border, but only occupying sectors shared. Berlin's outer city limits to the GDR, however, was in international law also important for Western conception, so there were possible controls. However, they were only occasionally performed in the context of search measures.
At the Transit transitions travelers statistically recorded (questioning by the target), were occasionally checked with the appropriate cause for prosecution ( Dragnet ).
In the early years was also asked about personal and vehicle papers to preserve the traveler facing difficulty in the control bodies of the SBZ / GDR. The identity was only checked if there was a reasonable suspicion.
The transport of goods subject to foreign transport of customs clearance. In all communications with the Federal Republic were only made statistical surveys and possibly sealed the charge.
Am Checkpoint Bravo ( Drei Linden ) and Checkpoint Charlie ( Friedrichstrasse ) had the Allied occupation forces set up checkpoints, but were for normal travel and visitor traffic without meaning. They served the dispatch of military units and political demonstration. The powers vested in them to further checks they have rarely perceived.
With the help of signs transit passengers were asked to report suspicious events during the transit through the GDR - so, for example, information about the arrests of German citizens should be obtained.

Border crossings to 1990

Road and pedestrian crossings

West Berlin - East Berlin

Between West and East Berlin there were the following border crossings ( road ):

West Berliners, West Germans, East Germans and diplomats Bornholm road (open 7-24 clock - inlet clearance to 20 clock ) over the evil bridge between the districts of Wedding and Prenzlauer Berg

Heinrich -Heine-Straße between the districts of Kreuzberg and Mitte (open 7-24 clock - inlet clearance to 20 clock )

Chausseestraße between the districts of Mitte and Wedding
Disability on the road Sandkrugbrücke between the districts Tiergarten and Mitte
Upper tree bridge between the districts of Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain (only for pedestrians)
Sun Avenue between the districts of Neukölln and Treptow

Checkpoint Charlie Friedrichstrasse between the districts of Kreuzberg and Mitte

West Berliners, West Germans, foreigners, diplomats, travelers in transit and GDR citizens (all located in East Berlin, accessible from the western part with S- Bahn, U -Bahn or mainline ) Friedrichstrasse station (open 6-24 clock - inlet clearance to 20 clock )

West Berlin - outside city limits to the GDR

Glienicker bridge over the Havel in Berlin -Wannsee to Potsdam to 1952 released to public traffic.
Served from 1952 only the approach of the Western Allied Military Liaison Missions (MVM ) and their civilian supply of West Berlin. Civilians with special permission was granted for the bridge for now pass on foot.
As of July 3, 1953, the bridge was closed as one of the last connection paths of Berlin into the countryside for the civil passenger
After regular transition only for family members and provider of allied military liaison missions
He became known in particular by three exchanges of arrested agent between the great powers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union that took place here.

Transitions for transit traffic

Road crossings

These transitions could be used for transit traffic to the prescribed transit routes and tourist traffic in the GDR.

Highway crossing checkpoint Drei Linden (Checkpoint Bravo) / border crossing point ( border crossing ) Drewitz for travel and freight transport. Even after construction of the new motorway section and laying of the border crossing point on 15 October 1969, the names were retained. Correct Zehlendorf / Kleinmachnow would have been. From 1972 wrong about this transition, the first cross-border bus BVG for 20 years. The line E (later 99) led from the Wannsee S-Bahn to Potsdam - Babelsberg ( Motorway ) and back. For use until November 1989, however, came only single-deck vehicles without outdoor advertising; then due to the increased volume of traffic and double -decker buses and also with advertising. in the Federal Republic Marie Born / Helmstedt ( Allied Checkpoint Alpha, Lower Saxony, Hannover)
Juchhöh / Töpen, from the end of 1966 Hirschberg / Rudolph Stein ( Bavaria, towards Hof, Nuremberg, Munich )
Bardo / Herleshausen (Hessen, Frankfurt am Main )

Cínovec / Cínovec

Pomellen / Kołbaskowo ( Kolbitzow ): towards Stettin, Gdansk
Frankfurt ( Oder) / Slubice: towards mid Poland, Warsaw
Forst / Olszyna ( alder ): Direction southern Poland, Wroclaw

Sassnitz via the Baltic Sea ferries to Sweden ( Trelleborg ) and Denmark ( Ronne )
Rostock -Warnemünde by Baltic sea to Denmark ( Gedser ), passengers and crews of Seepassagierschiffen.

Horst / Lauenburg ( B 5 / F 5 to Schleswig -Holstein, Hamburg) from November 20, 1982: Autobahn transition Zarrentin / Gudow This transition offered up to the completion of the highway, the only way to drive vehicles in the Federal Republic, who were not allowed to travel on the motorway ( eg bicycle, moped, tractor and other special vehicles). Condition: You had the track without interruption (overnight, longer breaks) cope.
The transition was concluded on 31 December 1987 for transit traffic and replaced by the motorway connection via Tegel and Heiligensee.

To Poland Pomellen / Kołbaskowo ( Kolbitzow ): towards Stettin, Gdansk

Sassnitz via the Baltic Sea ferries to Sweden ( Trelleborg ), Denmark ( Ronne )
Rostock -Warnemünde by Baltic sea to Denmark ( Gedser ), passengers and crews of Seepassagierschiffen.

Zarrentin / Gudow: Schleswig- Holstein, Hamburg

Border stations

Berlin-Wannsee/Griebnitzsee (passenger ) and stone pieces / Drewitz Bhf ( freight, passenger occasionally ) Marie Born / Helmstedt (Hannover, West Germany )
Schwanheide / Büchenberg (Hamburg, Schleswig -Holstein, 1961-1976 )
Gerstungen / Bebra (Hessen, Frankfurt am Main, Saarbrücken )
Probstzella / Louis City ( Nuremberg, Munich, southern Germany)
Gutenfürst / yard ( Regensburg, Munich), a pair of trains daily from October 1972

Schwanheide / Büchenberg (Hamburg, Schleswig -Holstein)

Trains ( coaches ) from Berlin Zoo to Copenhagen (via the train ferry Warnemünde Online Magazine ) day train Neptune, Night Train Baltic Express, Malmo - Stockholm and Prague - Vienna ( Vindobona ). Continuous coaches towards Poland (among Paris - Moscow, for example, East-West Express). The Transit trains from the West ended - as well as the S-Bahn trains from East and West - in the Friedrichstrasse station. Many trains from East and Southeast Europe ended at Ostbahnhof ( from 1987 Berlin-Hauptbahnhof ) or in Lichtenberg station. There were very few solid connections to Zoologischer Garten, usually you had to change, and then came over the border crossing at Friedrichstrasse railway station by train to West Berlin.

Border crossings on the waterways

The numerous border crossings on the waterways (eg, Spree, Havel, Teltow Canal ) were approved for commercial freight traffic. Sport boats had to be loaded on barges or pass the path in tow.

Deep Sea / Glienicker Lake ( 1954-1961, The transition had to traffic to and from West Berlin no meaning )
Three Linden / Kleinmachnow, Teltow Canal (from 1981)
Kleinmachnow, Teltow Canal (from 1981)
Teufelsseekanal / Hennig village (only exchange and transit traffic (Poland), not in the Federal Republic of Germany )
Border crossing point Nedlitz / Jungfernsee
Transitions in the city of Berlin

Traffic

For further travel in air traffic from / to / from the airport Berlin- Schönefeld

Walter Chaussee / Rudow Chaussee ( shuttle bus from / to West Berlin)

To all in East Berlin located ( map S -Bahn, U -Bahn or mainline ):

Friedrichstrasse station (from 1961)

Other transitions

Not reliably documented are all illegal or unofficial border crossings, the

Were mostly created by refugees and smugglers underground between East and West. Many of them were discovered and destroyed;
Were created by the Stasi and other covert organizations from both sides, for example, to share personnel and equipment unnoticed between East and West.

Chronicle

August 1961

On 13 August 1961 13 urban crossings for vehicles and pedestrians were initially been set up: Copenhagen Street, Wollankstraße, Bornholm Street, Fountain Street, Chausseestraße, Brandenburg Gate, Friedrichstraße, Heinrich -Heine-Straße, Upper tree bridge Puschkinallee, Elsenstraße, Sun Alley, Rudow road. The transition Brandenburg Gate was already closed on August 14, "because of ongoing provocations " again. On 23 August 1961, the transitions Copenhagen Street, Wollankstraße, Fountain Street, Puschkinallee, Elsenstraße and Rudow road were closed and the transition Invalidenstraße additionally opened. At the same time that the transitions in each case of foreign nationals, residents of West Germany and West Berlin residents has been set, could be used.

Extensions 1989/1990

In the period between the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989 and the elimination of all border controls on 1 July 1990, even more border crossings were established shortly. The most famous because of its symbolic value thereof were Glienicke Bridge, Bernauer Straße, Potsdamer Platz and the Brandenburg Gate. The latter was opened at the request of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl because of the effectiveness in the media only on 22 December 1989 solemnly. Hundreds of television crews from around the world were waiting for this event for weeks.

The following is a chronological list of all opened at this time transitions. Local and district assignment, as of 1990:

Other transitions: Adalbertstraße - Gleimstraße - Locust Chaussee - Kopenickerstrasse

Resolution

With German reunification on 3 October 1990, all border crossings were abandoned. The controls accounted for on July 1, 1990, the date of the monetary, economic and social union. In the months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it had become meaningless gradually. Some remains of the plants are still preserved as a memorial.

Existing border controls

At the airports Berlin- Tegel and Berlin- Schoenefeld ( located outside the urban area ), there are still border crossings, which are operated by Federal Police and Customs. They are solely for handling international air traffic. They are thus not specific in terms of the history of the Cold War, longer represent

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