Border controls: commuters suffer from traffic infarction in Frankfurt (Oder)

Border controls: commuters suffer from traffic infarction in Frankfurt (Oder)

A new chapter in German-Polish border history is open. Since July 11, 2025, the federal police have been in control on the German-Polish border. This marks the return to controls that have not been necessary since 2007. The measures were expanded by Poland on October 24, 2023 after German border controls have spotted the desire to travel to many commuters since September 2023. The situation on the border remains tense and leads to a real "traffic attack" in places such as Frankfurt (Oder), as city councilor Jan Augustyniak reports. He himself drew attention to himself with a silent protest against the Polish controls after observing the negative effects on the commuters in the region. Around 14,000 Poles commute to Brandenburg and 4,000 to Berlin every day, and the controls bring traffic to a standstill, as the last reports show. Cutlets often extend to Heilbronner Straße - one kilometer from the border crossing - and the backlog on the highway between Berlin and Warsaw can be up to 10 kilometers, which leads to additional travel times of almost 20 minutes.

But what actually happens with these controls? The procedure is strongly reminiscent of the German controls: vehicles have to drive past slowly, and the occupants are visited. However, there is an unfortunate difference in the treatment: While white Germans and Poles are usually easily waved through, dark -skinned or southern -looking people as well as women with headscarves are often the goal of more intensive hearings. In addition, commuters report greatly improvement conditions - on the Polish side, a single -lane road leads to sometimes unbearable waiting times, the control of a coach can take 3 to 4 minutes, while the road conditions are anything but optimal.

The reactions and possible solutions

Brandenburg's interior minister Wilke is concerned about the consequences of the controls, not only for commuters, but also for transport and the economy as a whole. The chambers of industry and commerce warn of the economic losses that can arise from the delays when crossing the border. Many Germans use the border region for everyday errands, be it to refuel or buy. This usual mobility could be severely restricted by increasing controls.

Member of the Landtag Kurt Fischer (SPD) has already proposed ideas for relaxing the situation. In joint controls by German and Polish civil servants, he sees an opportunity to improve cross -border cooperation and optimize the processes. However, the normalization of the situation is uncertain - this is closely associated with the implementation of the common European asylum system (GEAS), which is expected to come into force from mid -June 2026 and will affect current asylum procedures.

border signs and European understanding

Despite everything, there is also signs of understanding for the difficult situation at the bridge between Frankfurt (Oder) and Słubice. In various places, Europeans and signs with the inscription "Frankfurt (Oder) - Słubice - Without Borders - Bez Granic" are reminiscent of the historical cooperation between the two cities that have been working on a common future for 25 years. But the new controls affect the previously lived border freedom.

In this area of tension between security and mobility, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether the stakeholders can find a portable solution for all sides of the border. The coming weeks and months will be crucial when it comes to evaluating the effects of the controls on the everyday life of commuters and the economic connections between Germany and Poland. The views are focused on the political decision -makers who are now required to have a good hand to ensure the relief in traffic.