German division Marienborn
On a trip to Berlin, I visited the Marienborn German Partition Memorial.
Some of you will still remember. Before 1989, the way to West Berlin by car was via a so-called transit highway to West Berlin. The border crossing point on the western side was Helmstedt. The Marienborn checkpoint was controlled by the GDR. People’s Police, customs, MfS and border troops control transit to West Berlin. After about 160 km we reached the border crossing point in Drewitz/Dreilinden. It was strictly controlled. We West Germans also waited here in a very disciplined manner.
I remembered the long queues with unfriendly customs officers. The wait seemed endless. The check-in took place car by car. With this stop & go, I would have had to restart the engine very often. So we did the same as many of the waiting travelers. We pushed the car a vehicle length or very slowly.
Did we have to clean out our car this time?
At some point it was done! Finally there was the stamp!
At most, the transit could only be interrupted for short breaks. It was forbidden to leave the transit highway. The police were visible everywhere and were also very present in plain clothes. The speed limit in the west was not observed as well as here.
Only too well that this has long been history!
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