The infamous…..Checkpoint Charlie. This is the main checkpoint after the “hut” which was often shown in films, articles etc.
There were three such checkpoints, all of which I have been through. Alpha, which was West German/ East German border. Bravo, which was East German/West Berlin border & Charlie, which was West Berlin/ East Berlin border, wall crossing, in the American Sector.
This was taken during a trip to East Berlin. For the first few years the wives of our squadron were allowed over, if accompanied by military personnel. Towards the end of our time there, we were given different IDs which gave us diplomatic status & we were allowed to drive across in our own vehicles as long as there were at least two of us in the party. It all seems quite surreal now, some 35 years ago!
I was first through there in 1968 with my college group, study abroad. Boy was that spooky! We could have no books, papers showing, they ran mirrors under the bus, men with guns came aboard to collect our passports and eventually returned them! I remember abandon military vehicles rusted out along the roadsides in E. Germany. A fantastic experience.
