CHECKPOINT CHARLIE

Description

Essentials about Checkpoint Charlie in brief

Who does not know it, probably the most famous border crossing of Berlin and all of Germany during the Cold War. Between 1961 and 1990, Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstraße connected the U.S. and Soviet sectors. The checkpoint was established in 1961 as a result of the construction of the Berlin Wall to control the border crossings of Western Allied and Soviet military personnel as well as foreign diplomats.

The name “Checkpoint Charlie”

Incidentally, the name Checkpoint Charlie is derived from the International Letter Alphabet. After the Helmstedt-Marienborn (Alpha) and Dreilinden-Drewitz (Bravo) border crossings, Checkpoint Charlie is the third checkpoint used by the Allies in and around Berlin. In October 1961, the checkpoint is the scene of the tank confrontation between American and Soviet forces. However, the checkpoint is not only the scene of military confrontations, but also witness to numerous successful and failed escape attempts from the GDR.

Visiting Checkpoint Charlie

Today, Checkpoint Charlie is one of the most popular photo motifs in Berlin. The fact that there are hardly any original buildings here and that the barrier, control barracks, flag and sandbags are only imitations of the original site does not seem to bother anyone. In 2006, an open-air exhibition was opened on the historic site of the former border crossing, informing visitors about the significance of Checkpoint Charlie as a symbolic site of the West-East bloc confrontation, describing the numerous failed and successful escape attempts from the GDR, and providing general information about the German division and the Berlin Wall.