35 years after the fall of communism: Former cross-border commuters united at Lake Mechower

35 years after the fall of communism: Former cross-border commuters united at Lake Mechower

35 years ago, on June 30, 1990, the then Police Chief Inspector Wolfgang May from the Federal Border Guard (BGS) reported with his last official order. This moment not only marked the end of his service on the inner-German border, but also a symbolic end to decades of border controls. May was responsible for the section from the northern edge of Lake Ratzeburg to Zarrentin. Hoping to capture the historic moment, he waited until his superior had left the barracks to write a report, which, strangely enough, was completed in just three minutes. In it he wished the recipients a good 1990. The message was a harbinger of the change that was coming to Germany in 1990, not least through the tireless commitment of citizens who fought for their freedom and who finally succeeded after years of protests. According to Nordkurier, a friendship developed between May and Jens Strohschein, a former GDR border guard, after they met at a reunification ceremony in Kiel in 2019.

But what was it like to stand on the other side of the wall? Jens Strohschein was deployed in Schlagbrügge at the time, unaware of who he was facing. While the GDR border guards were informed about the BGS, the BGS officers could only guess who they were confronting. After the border was opened, Strohschein continued to be stationed in Schlagbrügge to oversee the renovation of the border facilities. The meeting of the two former "adversaries" impressively shows how history can change - opponents become friends who now offer guided hikes on border history together. The next hike will take place on July 26th around Lake Mechower, at Grenzhus in Schlagsdorf.

The history of the border

Germany's border history is one of the most complex and moving stories in European history. After the Second World War, Germany was divided into two states in 1949: the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the east and the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in the west. This border, which stretched over 1,400 kilometers, was the best guarded at the time. Many people remembered the strict controls that made it extremely difficult to switch sides. Special permits were often required to travel from east to west. The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989 was the result of growing resentment among GDR citizens about their living conditions and ongoing oppression. In the summer of 1989, over 50,000 people fled the GDR to the West, and prominent events such as the “Monday demonstrations” led to the dissolution of the regime.

The fall of the Berlin Wall is seen as a key moment in Germany's history, not only as the end of a regime, but also as a turning point for all of Europe. Within a few months, Germany was reunified on October 3, 1990, which is now celebrated as “German Unity Day”. The Planet Wissen platform highlights that the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent reunification not only ended the division of Germany, but also brought about profound social changes.

Changes after reunification

In the years after reunification, Germany experienced profound changes. The border area between East and West was redesigned, and many formerly lively cities and communities were confronted with drastic upheavals. Residents reported sudden changes in their everyday lives while tourist structures changed. Examples of this change include the “German Division of Marienborn” memorial on the A2 motorway, which once included the central border fortifications, and the “Green Belt” project, which is intended to create a belt of nature along the former border. Whether one speaks of new beginnings or the economic deficit, the effects of reunification can still be felt today.

What was seen 35 years ago as a farewell to the past has turned into a positive development in which former border regions are being rediscovered. Wolfgang May and Jens Strohschein live this change by actively sharing the history of the border with the next generation, symbolizing the friendship that emerged from a time of separation. Your guided hikes are not only a journey through history, but also a symbol of the solidarity that accompanied the path to German unity.