Destination Berlin (1989) - British guide on getting to West Berlin

[@athomicritics]

"do not agree to anything" Soviet soldier : "Pretty nice weather today eh ?" British : "NO"

[@AtheistOrphan]

‘Deny everything Baldric’

[@patriksonestad8208]

”Have a nice journey” NO!

[@Jeffcrocodile]

@@AtheistOrphan underrated comment. i would give more likes if i could

[@pinedelgado4743]

Good one!!!!!!!! LMHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😆🤣😆🤣😆🤣😆🤣

[@jimbotron70]

That would be a trap to frame you.

[@eddievhfan1984]

Really makes you appreciate the relative ease of entering Arsotzska from Impor.

[@catlover9998]

*from Kolechia. On the border between East and West Grestin

[@eddievhfan1984]

@@catlover9998 True, that's even easier, but Impor's still less of a pain than the Berlin checkpoints. 😜

[@junglist_ikon]

Came to the comments for this reference, now leaving very satisfied.

[@raakone]

@@catlover9998 where was this? What countries?

[@minyiiiii]

@@raakone A reference to the video game Papers Please (2013). You play as border guard for the Republic of Arstotzka. Arstotzka is great nation with free people, but many bad peoples from neighbors attempt to attack, including from abovementioned nations. Remember: vigilance is key to victory. Glory to Arstotzka!

[@AsbestosMuffins]

"this man will salute you, no matter what you must salute them"

[@Jesse-qy6ur]

Sounds like an SCP.

[@teipi6020]

@@Jesse-qy6ur SCP - Soviet Check Point

[@futon2345]

I wonder what happens if you neglect to do so

[@arjenmiddelb]

But I got no arms and legs!

[@monkeybusinessasusuall5467]

Gave me SCP vibes

[@BluJean6692]

Videos like this are my favorite kind of horror: totally mundane, procedural, and yet built around insane circumstances and calmly addressing terrifying outcomes. And all throughout the kafkaesque absurdity looms the hinted at possibly of being detained (officially or unofficially) by a hostile supervisory superpower…

[@claydogg234]

Papers please.

[@claydogg234]

Papiere bitte 😅

[@arjenmiddelb]

Took me a while to realize that measuring the distance traveled was not a way to keep your bearings, but a control mechanism!

[@jasmins203]

They have been a supervisory power in Germany but no more. Never.

[@ittybittyboat9017]

I think it’s the very stoic and calm British accent aswell- it’s like those videos of what to do in a Nuclear War they made around the same time as this

[@nikousenpai]

Going to Germany next week, this video was very informative, thank you

[@PottersVideos2]

Don't worry, these checkpoints and East Germany no longer exist. The checkpoints were permanently opened in 1989, and later abolished.

[@padilayuri9429]

😂

[@iamunamed5800]

@@PottersVideos2 he's traveling via time machine

[@toxy3580]

​​@@PottersVideos2untrue I've brought them back

[@lezhu6856]

@@PottersVideos2 funnily enough, germany is starting some checkpoints now to control illegal migrants.

[@oliverrugg3732]

I have no idea why, but the line "We *acknowledge* East German traffic laws, but we only *accept* Soviet authority" goes hard as hell.

[@AckzaTV]

It's obsolete nonesense that never mattered.

[@AckzaTV]

What were they going to do? Start disobeying east German traffic rules or what?

[@oliverrugg3732]

@@AckzaTV In case you didn't realise, it's a polite British way of saying "try not to be too rude to them, but East German traffic cops can't actually tell you to do shit"

[@Jesus_was_God]

@@AckzaTV propaganda as usual .

[@heycidskyja4668]

@@AckzaTV Yes, the idea is that you could wave German traffic officers away but had to heed Soviet officers.

[@phalanx9005]

My left ear really enjoyed this video.

[@mastergx1]

Yea, don't know what you used to watch it but in both windows and android (probably others too) there is a mono audio option you can toggle in the settings. just search for "mono" in the settings search and it will come right up. Handy when it comes to this sort of thing.

[@EdMcF1]

Stereo is so capitalist.

[@itmkoeln]

@@EdMcF1 you mean communist... for every ear...

[@canuckster24]

@@EdMcF1 Surround sound is decadent.

[@N_g_er]

@@canuckster24I'm gay too

[@kazikian]

I was told this about traveling in Russia. For minor offenses, speak Russian and offer a bribe. For major offenses, speak English and show your passport.

[@anonUK]

"What do you mean, I can't try to shoot the President? It's an ancient tradition in my country, here's my UK passport."

[@Powderlover1]

Now I just need money and to learn Russian.

[@kazikian]

@@Powderlover1 Полезный и красивый язык!

[@PottersVideos2]

I'd simply follow the latter advice.

[@kazikian]

@@PottersVideos2 the main difference is the bribe will be much higher.

[@mrjockt]

Never did the journey by road, only by train, but do remember that when our identity cards were returned to us they were all warm from having been photocopied.

[@dieseldragon6756]

If only thermal paper had existed back then. That would've put a right old spanner in their works... 😉 (Though you'd also have some busy printers going 24/7 at the Allied sides of the checkpoints... 🖨)

[@calvinnickel9995]

So the documents go blank, they deny you entry and send you home, and your passports are ruined.

[@watcherofclassics]

About the breakdown procedure, you must understand that most people back then did NOT have mobile/cell phones, so they really had to do all of that to make sure that the RMP knew what was really going on.

[@Alozhatos]

Indeed, walkie-talkie was prohibited in GDR. If there’s any mobile phone back then, it’s useless because no network available in GDR.

[@smcdonald9991]

There was no cell coverage in any Warsaw Pact country in 1989.

[@LetomDeCambrai]

Nonsense what you said… Something that existed was called « paper map »

[@kberkstr]

​@@LetomDeCambrai They're talking about communication procedures, not navigation.

[@dieseldragon6756]

And even if you could see a payphone from the Autobahn - Not that you'd be allowed to use it, as you'd be going outside of the corridor to do so - It's highly unlikely your West German money would've operated a DDR -payphone- Stasi line anyway. 👆 There's a good reason why the DDR would want the money their citizens had in their pockets to be incompatible with anything one might find in Westdeutschland... 😉

[@hoodio]

Schengen Agreement was quite the upgrade

[@familygash7500]

*Downgrade.

[@hoodio]

@@familygash7500 sure buddy

[@darkpulcinella9690]

this aged poorly lol

[@ARandomHumanBein]

@@darkpulcinella9690 How exactly did it age poorly? It was literally said 1 day before your comment

[@Hortifox_the_gardener]

@@darkpulcinella9690 - it ages tragically. I live right on the GER/PL/CZ border triangle and it saddens me to see the rollback.

[@bcdm999]

How do I explain to the algorithm that this kind of video, and exactly this kind of video, is what it should be offering me non-stop

[@Hortifox_the_gardener]

Interaction with comments and likes is a sure fire way. Maybe search for "cold war military training films" - the British ones are actually the best.

[@nayaknaresh]

Yes, it’s like sitting in a time machine and going back in time to savour those events all over again.

[@bearb1asting]

Yes. This, and not shaking Indian women and tarto car readers.

[@8polyglot]

ja genau

[@martinfenton1275]

Try playing it twice.

[@kazikian]

10:30 Photography is strictly forbidden in the DDR zone. Now here’s some video footage of that zone!

[@REDARROW_A_Personal]

They probably filmed this part in West Germany.

[@boink800]

@@REDARROW_A_Personal No, it was filmed on the GDR Autobahn. You can easily see that.

[@kazikian]

@@REDARROW_A_Personal the autobahn footage is definitely from DDR. But I’m just joking around anyway.

[@kazikian]

@@boink800 DDR

[@boink800]

@@kazikian In English, one says the "German Democratic Republic" (GDR). In German, one says "DDR".

[@xpaul777]

This documentary perfectly shows the atmosphere of the iron curtain. I spent several holidays in the DDR (GDR) in the 1980s and always wondered how (West) Germans and Americans could travel between West Berlin and West Germany. As I learned here, it wasn't as simple as I thought. My father told me that on his business trip he saw an amazing thing in a buffet in (East) Berlin: a Soviet and an American soldier eating bratwurst at the same table.

[@alexclement7221]

Soldiers and officers were often encouraged to visit certain DDR military ceremonies, especially at memorials to WW2. They were under STRICT orders to not engage with any 'hostile' forces, but just sitting down to have a currywurst und bier was probably OK.

[@boink800]

Travel between the Federal Republic and West-Berlin was very easy. Only a passport was required and the police were very strict about the 100 km/h speed limit.

[@calvinnickel9995]

@alexclement7221 Exactly. Soldiers know the common enemy is the political elite that control them. They have to tow the party line.. but deep down they know they are the same.

[@baileygregory9192]

​@alexclement7221 it's a shame that returning back to those times and that ww2 memorials are nolonger being done together between east and west

[@boink800]

@calvinnickel9995 Sometimes those British and Russian soldiers at those Soviet checkpoints would do a few glasses of vodka.

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

Interesting, but remember this was only for military personell. I travelled many times by car through DDR (on transit) as a tourist. A bit of paperwork and thorough car checks, but I never encountered any problems. All papers were good and we carried no contraband. Like certain literature, radio transmitters, printing equipment and so on. The border control guys were looking for this all the time.

[@yorgunsamuray]

It seemed to me too. Especially for "taking the military lane".

[@andyjay729]

Could Westerners only travel to East Berlin via Helmstedt?

[@janhanchenmichelsen2627]

@@andyjay729You mean West Berlin? No, there were several transit roads from all directions. And you could get both an extended transit visa and (after some bureaucratic entanglements) even an ordinary tourist and or/business visa to DDR for travelling anywhere in the country if you wanted. But i think allied governmental and military staff stationed in West Berlin HAD to use the Helmstedt corridor to Checkpoint Alfa. They were allowed to travel this route withtout visa and under some allied control. I, myself also travelled several times via Checkpoint Bravo (Drewitz) by car to/from the Sweden ferry ans well as crossinf DDR to and from Poland and CZ. I also crossed the border by foot and u-bahn from West Berlin to East Berlin on one day visas. Very easy, but still weird!

[@dieseldragon6756]

That goes some way to explaining the advice *not* to deal with any DDR personnel, and to insist on the presence of a Soviet officer. By the sound of things the treaties which enabled Allied forces transit through east Germany to West Berlin (An effective enclave in the middle of the DDR) were made entirely with the USSR, and the DDR - Despite being strongly allied to the Soviets - Weren't a negotiating party in that arrangement? 😇

[@juliandelconde6662]

@@dieseldragon6756 If im not mistaken, the DDR was not recognized by the Allies.

[@kurtnowak8895]

This video was created at great time and expense and became an invaluable resource for traveling military personnel- for a few weeks in 1989 before the wall fell.

[@shannon9993]

Yeah, I wouldn't call it a waste, though; information needs to be current, and you can't skimp on people's safety (or legal concerns) just because things might change.

[@alexclement7221]

That video was made WELL before the wall fell. Judging by the cars shown, it was made about 1980.

[@technetium9653]

​@@alexclement7221 i don't know, filming back then and especially in this region would be really hard, they probably used any vaguely modern footage they had their hands on, so the cars are older, but the video released 1989

[@alexclement7221]

@@technetium9653 It was released TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC after the wall fell. For about a decade before, it was a controlled military film, shown to all servicemembers given travel orders to West Berlin who were driving themselves there. They had other films for those who went by military bus, and by military train.

[@danielwang7793]

@@alexclement7221 Copyright notice says 1989. But I suppose the original footage may well be older.

[@insulanerin7601]

Grew up in West-Berlin at that time. Every holiday started with border checks. My parents stricktly told my younger brother and me never to annoy a border guard. We hated that and told our teddy bears to look angrily at the guards because we weren't allowed to ...

[@catmeows2031plays]

I mean technically it was not you guys who annoyed the border guard, it was the teddy!

[@matthewgraham6980]

It’s wild how little the Allies acknowledged the East Germans. Everything while in the GDR defaults to “ask to speak to a Soviet officer”

[@boink800]

This reasons for this was the treaties after World War II. Berlin was occupied by the Allies until 1990. The transit routes to and from West-Berlin were a part of that Allied Occupation.

[@kadeshaderow]

Germany was occupied and subject to the four-power agreement. Technically Berlin was 'under occupation' by the WW2 allies until the final treaty with respect to Germany signed in 1990. So acknowledging the DDR's authority would have been a diplomatic incident. That's also why they did not allow you to travel with a visa stamp -- it implies that your transit through that corridor which was guaranteed by treaty had been permitted by the Soviets or DDR. That which is permitted can be regulated and revoked.

[@boink800]

@@kadeshaderow The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) was created in May 1949. In 1955 the FRG became a fully sovereign state. The FRG military was then integrated into the NATO command structure. The German Democratic Republic was created in October 1949. All of Berlin was divided into four Allied sectors which lasted from May 1949 to October 1990. Civilians traveling from the FRG to West-Berlin received a GDR Transit Visa (and likewise from West-Berlin to the FRG).

[@kadeshaderow]

@@boink800 Nothing you just said contradicted anything I posted. I was only discussing the treaty rights of the 4 occupying powers of Berlin.

[@boink800]

@@kadeshaderow "Germany was occupied and subject to the four-power agreement. "

[@envitech02]

Excellent video!! I'm going to West Berlin next week, direct from West Germany. I'd be sure to follow all instructions here and salute the Soviet soldiers.

[@monkeybusinessasusuall5467]

I’m sure they got special permission because the Soviets probably didn’t want to deal with confused travelers. It was probably supervised or something

[@peraltarockets]

Given the reactionary parties winning seats in the former GDR, I wouldn't be surprised to see Soviet, erm, Russian observers. 😆

[@razork1976]

Good luck, keep yer hand on your pfenig

[@cabana85]

They were replaced by the Taliban

[@boink800]

It could be quite a chore trying to find those Soviet soldiers nowadays in Germany.

[@alexpanton6319]

A fascinating pieace of history, all the more remarkable for its proximity to the end of the Cold War

[@alexclement7221]

This is at least a decade before that happened. This film was used throughout the 1980's.

[@Losangelesharvey]

@@alexclement7221 wrong. the wall came down that year

[@pbdye1607]

12:15 Gotta love the snipe of "I request the presence of a *competent* Soviet officer."

[@ivanskopin7723]

The idea is better translated as "the Soviet officer in charge" - not every officer you'd encounter would be empowered/allowed to make decisions about stopping you or letting you go :)

[@maryhildreth754]

This is one of the most interesting things I've ever seen on KZbin. I'd love more videos about this area.

[@fraserdavidson278]

Andy McIoone has done some really excellent videos on this subject👍

[@76_199]

This is a video showing a ride on the Berlin Underground in 1990: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYOsYqBtlJVno9kfeature=shared&t=483 There were two underground lines operated by West Berlin which ran partly below East Berlin. The trains didn't stop at those stations, and the entrances were walled shut. We called them "Geisterbahnhof", "ghost station". This video seems like a good explanation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ronXqneHraikbbc Greetings from a former resident of Berlin in the 1990s. If you have questions, go ahead.

[@alexclement7221]

@@76_199 Freidrichstrasse station was open, though.

[@daan2503]

My father had to do this route twice in the mid-1980s as an American. What they warned about with the East Germans was real. My father was approached by an East German officer that spoke impeccable American English and offered an East German Volksmarine flag as a token of friendship. My father actually accepted the flag, reported the incident, got grilled on it for a bit, but was able to keep the flag. The flag later went missing out of his stuff back on his ship.

[@EvatronX]

NO FRIENDSHIP ALLOWED!!!

[@monkeybusinessasusuall5467]

They sound chill, but the flag was probably bugged.

[@ddjohnson9717]

@@monkeybusinessasusuall5467 a bugged flag? how that work

[@Hairyson-g5j]

@@ddjohnson9717in the poll?

[@ddjohnson9717]

@@Hairyson-g5j oh i thought its just the fabric

[@ulrichs.3228]

I now wonder what else is in the travel pack that makes it so important to keep out of the hands of the soviets/GDR Vopo. "The debriefing officer is upstairs at our checkpoint" can't be it. Maybe it's "you're not allowed to take photographs, so _hide_ your cameras". (Also, as every rule was added for a reason, there's somebody who made them put in the "Salute all four times. Yes even if you're not in uniform.Yes even if it's a female soldier.")

[@REDARROW_A_Personal]

@@ulrichs.3228 Now it makes me think if it was only Soviet Officers behind the black screen at the bank tray. Who knows maybe they just brought in a East German because they got tired.

[@すどにむ]

Sounds like this was supposed to be used by Allied soldiers so everyone had to pretend to be one and their soldiers won't be politically allowed to call bluffs

[@joethemanager1]

@@すどにむ well you don't have to be a soldier to be part of the military

[@Magic_beans_]

They could use the camera again when they get to West Berlin. Keeping a camera out in the open during the one time they’re not supposed to use it, that’s just asking to be thrown in jail.

[@grizzly3793]

Although it's not hard to imagine something going wrong there, I think the whole "salute all the time" rule is there because british rules regarding salutes differed from Soviet ones and if there's anything militaries obsess over its saluting procedure and dress code. (eg "salute this officer even in all these cases where you wouldn't return a salute to a british soldier")

[@klingoncowboy4]

I love how they had to detail every lane change and emphasize to watch for traffic already in said lane.

[@Magic_beans_]

When civilians traveled to Berlin the border guards would write the time they were processed at each checkpoint, to make sure they hadn’t lingered anywhere too long. I’d assume they’re even more strict with military personnel. Something as simple as missing an exit and circling back would draw suspicion.

[@jensschroder8214]

It was popular with East German police officers to put up a construction site sign and a speed limit in the middle of the highway. You could be sure that a speed check would take place there and that you would be fined a little further down the road. But the East German police were not allowed to stop Allied vehicles and collect money.

[@boink800]

All Allied Military vehicles had to obey GDR transit route regulations. The speed limit in the GDR was 100 km/h on the transit route.

[@Hortifox_the_gardener]

the most unbelievable part: a construction site on a GDR road. Suuuuuuuure. That totally happened. But on second thought - the transit roads were fully paid by the west so maybe.

[@boink800]

@@Hortifox_the_gardener The quality of the highway between Helmstedt and Berlin was very good. However, the two other civilian transit routes were of lesser quality.

[@BeroeZara1916]

The construction site sign would not be faux. It was just the way construction works were done in the soviet sphere of influence

[@toml.1408]

I took the train to Berlin in December of 1990. Piece of cake. No problem anywhere. Berlin was wide open, and I had access to all locations. It was a great experience.

[@rolux4853]

At that point the boarders where already open so train travel wasn’t a problem. Not even two years before you wouldn’t have been able to do that trip easily.# The only train to West Berlin was „The Berliner“ from the British military who went from Braunschweig to Berlin in the morning and the evening. The food on that train was amazing however, it was prepared by personal from the orient express to show the Russians and East Germans what kind of luxury the west has to offer. Still the food was super cheap, it was great positive propaganda.

[@toml.1408]

On my train trip to Berlin, the train slowed to a stop, seemingly for no reason out in the countryside. I learned this was the former border of the now "gone" East Germany. The sniper tower was still there but unoccupied. I seem to remember being told a new crew was taking the train the final miles to Berlin.

[@itmkoeln]

the only things that had not been fully linked was the rail link with overhead wire... Probably still had to change traction to a Diesel then...

[@langserv]

​@@rolux4853 *borders

[@Kopkon2000]

As a german who was born not *THAT* LONG after the fall of the Berlin wall, it is CRAZY how particular and complicated it was to Travle between West Berlin and west Germany. I remember storys my Parents told me because my Aunt studied in west Berlin around the End of the DDR & The wall. Stuff like "this man will salute you, you must salute them Back" and "Do not make any Statements to EGP", "Do not allow allied or West germans to be taken by East german Ambulances, unless absolutely nessecary" just sounds so alien to me. You basically had to treat them as if they'd be Aliens or Fanatic North Koreans that would Imprision & kill you on sight if you do one wrong step. Crazy to think this was only a couple of years ago... its not even like ancient history.

[@TheDeadfast]

Keep in mind that this video is for UK military personnel transiting through a hostile foreign country, not regular UK citizens. Such rules exist even today. For example, you might not be allowed to enter some countries (not even as part of a layover), and you have to report any suspicious incidents (e.g. an overly friendly stranger asking too many questions at a bar).

[@cpt_nordbart]

It is interesting that the western forces only accepted Soviet authorities. This is quite intriguing to see this as a West German kid that only remembers the night when the Berlin wall fell... I was 5 years old at that time.

[@alexandermallett1852]

I was intrigued as well! A bit of research suggested that the allies were scared that any acceptance of East German authority (no matter how small) would be read as a wider acceptation of east Germany, allowing land claims and airspace blockades!

[@mlc4495]

@@alexandermallett1852 Officially all of Germany was under the occupation of the four Allied Powers right up to 1991 and the Western Allies went to great lengths to ensure this legality was maintained.

[@ilpomelo]

@@mlc4495 And it's funny that the Soviets recognized FRG as legitimate governing entity for West Germany and allowed West Berlin officers to check them when they crossed Checkpoint Charlie

[@mikeoyler2983]

@@mlc4495 No it wasn't. It is complicated. The occupation zones dissolved in 1949 with the formation of an East and West Germany. It was officially ended in 1955. This was done in conjunction with the rearmament of both East and West Germany and the official recognition at the Paris accords that it was a "rehabilitated" state. The French forces left completely in the 1960s leaving the US and Great Britain to defend West Germany with the Bundeswehr. According to the Paris accord the allies could at any time retake control and occupy Germany, which they never did. Between 1955 and 1990 the remaining forces were no longer fulfilling occupation duty. After 1990 the 4+2 Treaty annulled the Paris accords of 1955. Now, none of the Allies can reoccupy Germany.

[@magnusnufer4092]

Soviet missions in West Germany did not accept West German authority either.

[@oldtwinsna8347]

Excellent, this will come in handy for my upcoming trip. I'll be ready for all the checkpoints and know what to do.

[@JMR0303]

If anyone’s wondering, there’s also a video on how this journey was for the average West German. It’s called “Transitstrecke”, on a channel called Arte. However, it’s only available in German and French. EDIT: KZbin can now auto-translate to give you English subtitles, but the quality… could be better.

[@909After]

That was an amazing slice of history. Thank you

[@fenrirskull]

Late Cold-War era things are so interesting to me, by this point WW2 was 40-50 years ago and there was still a permanent reminder of it in the form of a split Germany and the Iron Curtain. So many modern aspects yet still seems slightly too far away, too dystopian to be today

[@mlc4495]

The reason why Allied soldiers insisted on only interacting with Soviet soldiers was because of the still legal reality that all of Germany up to 1991 was under the formal occupation of the four allied powers (UK, US, France and Soviet Union). Interacting with DDR officials could have created a new legal reality that the Western Allies recognized the partition of Germany which they de jure refused to do so. World War II didn't officially end until 15 March, 1991 when Germany regained full and absolute sovereignty and the Allied occupation ended.

[@mlc4495]

WWII in the European Theatre ended in 1991. In the Pacific Theatre is still is technically ongoing as Japan and Russia never signed a peace treaty. 😵‍💫

[@liliya_aseeva]

@@mlc4495 It made me remember that Russo-Japanese war (of 1905 1906) judicially ended when Japan concluded a no-changes peace treaty with Montenegro when Montenegro achieved its independence from Serbia the last time in 2006.

[@Songbirdstress]

Marseilles just signed a peace treaty with the Greeks, iirc. Just 2000 years...

[@boink800]

Berlin was under the Allied Powers, not the two German states. West-Berlin did not become a part of the Federal Republic of Germany until 1990.

[@mlc4495]

@@boink800 Yes, I know that, I've mentioned this about a dozen times in replies below. Where in my comment did I say Berlin was under the authority of the two German states?? 🤨

[@catmeows2031plays]

"Do Not Agree To Anything" Soviet Soldier: Drive Safe! British: Piss off m8

[@TiredAsians]

This is why I love history, so many dystopian like things happening within recent times

[@liliya_aseeva]

Hehehehe. Meanwhile, WE were doing the same - negotiating a fairly complicated process to get through Lithuania to the Kaliningrad area. However, recently they banned all access except via neutral waters and airspace above those same waters. I visited Kaliningrad area last year, flying by plane from Moscow in a convoluted route to Leningrad and then over the middle part of Baltic Sea

[@dcarbs2979]

Notice how there was no migrant epidemic back then though.

[@Seil-t2o]

@@liliya_aseeva I went to Kaliningrad through Poland on Christmas Eve

[@warmike]

​@@liliya_aseevaI think there are still trains to Kaliningrad, going through Lithuania without stopping.

[@mjc8281]

This takes me back.... I watched that very video on my way to Berlin would have been... 1988... The odd thing about East Germany everything felt less colourful... cars, signs, buildings, roadmarkings, trees, fields it was almost like looking at something thru a filter that was removing color it was really strange.

[@Masterient]

Yes this is why the west germans call east german "Dunkeldeutschland" - dark german" i was there in Leipzig. It was nice there. After two years i had enough and went back to austria. The east German girls are also much more prettier :D

[@mjc8281]

@@Masterient I didn't know that, I always wondered if it was something psychological, but I guess it wasn't.... Good to know about East German girls!!!!

[@kenricktheaviator5704]

This video helped a lot. I time traveled to 1989 but after that my time machine broke. The worse part is that i spawned in east berlin. I wanted to enter west berlin so i had to watch this video. After this. I managed to enter the land of the federal republic. Thanks!

[@Sentient-potato]

This is for people in west Germany trying to get into West Berlin, not East Germans breaking into west Germany

[@wertywerrtyson5529]

My stepfather made this trip in 1989 only a couple of months before the wall fell. An East German had just been shot trying to escape. If only he knew that the wall would fall a couple of months later. Not sure if he had to follow these rules though as a Swedish civilian citizen or if relations with DDR was different. He mentioned they searched under the car with mirrors.

[@smcdonald9991]

I worked in Stockholm during the Cold War and I remember the strict official position of neutrality. In practical terms though there was no doubt that Sweden was closer to the Allies than it was to the Soviet Union.

[@KaterChris]

@@smcdonald9991 Sweden had relatively good relations with the GDR because of their neutrality, The bulk of the VIP car fleet of the East German Government were Volvos.

[@KaterChris]

Please bear in mind, these procedures and regulations were for Allied/British military personnel only. Regular travel procedures were different, but after the Moscow Agreement, the Basic Treaty, the Four Power Agreement on Berlin and the Transit Agreement had all been implemented, from 1972 on it was for West Germans and West Berlin citizens not that hard to travel through East Germany. You handed in your Passport (or Provisional ID card for West Berliners)at the checkpoint, paid the visa fee, answered the same silly questions over and over, got your stamp and went on...although the drive through East Germany under the watchful eyes of the Volkspolizei and Stasi was always a bit tense. East German border guards normallyweren't supposed to check your luggage or car unless they had a specific reason to do so. I think the rules and procedures for foreign citizens were similar.

[@itmkoeln]

This guide by the British was for military personal (the French and US had similiar stippulations regarding the transport to Berlin)

[@boink800]

@@KaterChris Citizens/residents of the Federal Republic did not have to pay any fee (the FRG government paid this fee). Otherwise, all others had to pay a 5 DM transit fee.

[@SS-ex8pg]

Went to East Berling (from West Berlin) for a day visit as tourists in 1966 through Checkpoint Charlie. Our car was thoroughly searched and two things were confiscated -- a bolero record my buddy had bought in Spain and some colored postcards. We assumed these were because they did not want the locals to be aware of such consumer goods (all postcards for sale in East Berlin were black and white) -- or maybe they just wanted to keep those items.

[@SS-ex8pg]

Continued... We had some difficulty driving back to West Berlin with the soldiers shouting at us about our money -- I think they suspected us of selling some West deutschmarks on the black market. We had originally entered West Berlin from Czechoslovakia via East Germany late at night and I don't think we had all the currency papers filled out at some point. Unlike most Americans, we had not come to West Berlin through the corridor. It all worked out OK...at some point I think they realized what had happened.

[@pandaotu]

hmmmmm they had those things in east germany

[@SS-ex8pg]

@@pandaotu I was just speculating about the record, but they definitely had only black and white postcards in the stores.

[@adamo1242]

​@@SS-ex8pgprobably didn't have enough coloured ink. At least their printers could print in black and white without coloured ink😂😂😂

[@incarnateTheGreat]

Perhaps records can act as a form of data transfer, so perhaps they thought it was a form of espionage?

[@NLvideomaster]

What a time to be alive...

[@Zissou42]

I like when the narrator clears his throat at 10:03

[@mattgrant9479]

I've got anxious about the journey and it's 2024 😂

[@razork1976]

“Please do not play Freebird by Lynrd Skynrd at full blast through the soviet checkpoints”

[@kozekistudio]

autobahn has no speed limit so it is inevitable

[@richardjohansson2648]

My left ear enjoyed this informative video.

[@kevn9002]

Done this trip taking patients to the Military Hospital at Rinteln it was very interesting but was more interesting going into East Berlin at Checkpoint Charlie

[@SuperPrem]

So Dystopian and eerie. insane.

[@lolledopke]

Seems pretty straightforward, don't understand why people complain about German bureaucracy

[@MacrossSD]

Instructions valid until November 9, 1989. Travelers wishing to journey after that date should await updated instructions. No reason, we were just asked to let you know.

[@Moonstone-Redux]

Meanwhile in East Berlin... Honecker: This is fine.

[@eddieb5149]

They make the trip sound like hell on earth, but say that it's simple. I think I would have rather flown or taken a bus.

[@SNicole82]

Right! After watching this, why would anyone drive? Too much to remember.

[@nuclearyorkshire3179]

Because for the allies, and specifically the British, it was one of two rather complicated ways. The other, being the British Military Train, also known as ‘The Berliner’

[@xr6lad]

Agree. I’m actually surprised that for those military wanting to take a car they didn’t just attach a car trailer to the regular military train and you travel in the passenger carriage. Or they didn’t have a weekly car carrier on the road and the owners followed in a military bus with RmP just to make sure nothing happened.

[@nuclearyorkshire3179]

Remember this was the Cold War. This was complicated for a reason’

[@Joshdyisdifh]

Train would be easier than a bus.

[@galdavonalgerri2101]

Sehr schön. Ich mag die Musik, sie scheint zeitlos attraktiv zu sein. Nicht erwähnt wurde beispielsweise, dass der Geheimdienst (Stasi) an den „RASTATTEN“ 🙂 (Raststätten) alle Besucher überwachte und dass sogar Damen des Geheimdienstes versuchten, Kontakte zu knüpfen. Ich finde es toll, wie sogar Erkennungsbilder von uniformierten ostdeutschen und sowjetischen Amtsträgern gezeigt wurden. Ich bin die Transitstrecke öfters gefahren und fand es immer unheimlich, wenn bei der Passkontrolle die Augen der Beamten wie Sttahlenwaffen aussahen.

[@janarnold5569]

Es ist wirklich krass was die Damals alles wussten. Mein Vater war nach seiner Lehre als junger Mann Anfang der 80er bei der Bundeswehr. In seiner Stammeinheit gab es einen jungen Stabsunteroffizier der zum Feldwebel befördert. Er fuhr 2 Tage später privat nach West-Berlin. Bei der Passkontrolle sagte dann der Grenzer zu ihm: Herzlichen Glückwunsch zur Beförderung! Der Feldwebel war natürlich erstmal baff. Es ist krass was die alles wussten und wenn mein Vater dann erzählt wie er später in den 80ern öfters als Fernfahrer nach West-Berlin was das stellenweise für ein Psychoterror war. Echt ne unvorstellbare Zeit.

[@pyrotechnick420]

ah yes this sequel to Papers Please looks like it will be fun EDIT: that's actually a pretty good idea for a sequel, where you're the migrant instead of the border guard

[@Hannodb1961]

They could've made the video much shorter: "If you want to travel to Berlin, wait a few months, it will be easier then".

[@satiricalzero]

Kinda hard to have hindsight from the past.

[@cmdrdyland]

My left ear made it to West Berlin just fine, can't say the same for my right ear though.

[@vito7428]

Probably freezing in some damp Stasi basement prison cell as we speak

[@Dori1951]

Maybe the video is about military personnel in uniform. It opens with the 'logo' of the Royal Military Police.

[@Hchris101]

I’m so EXCITED

[@KSCPMark6742]

If cameras were forbidden, I guess the whole video was taken on the sly ;-)

[@georgesconyers9769]

Either that or they asked a (Soviet) official if they could film the trip so they don't have to deal with soldiers taking the wrong turn into forbidden areas.

[@thecoxsays1]

Wonder why you couldn’t go in the rastatten (rest areas?)

[@56independent]

Maybe they don't want you doing financial transactions there or interacting with Soviet buisness.

[@RebelRebelious]

You'd be certain to come to the attention of the Stasi and Volkspolizei. From the moment you departed Helmstedt they had you under observation.

[@humor1095]

I still would have gone lol

[@mattnik]

​@@humor1095 you'd probably be in hot water from the UK military if you did so.

[@76_199]

East Germany was always starved for hard currency due to the various embargoes, and they had special duty free shops at "strategic locations" as tourist traps (selling very cheap cigarettes, alcohol, etc.) to get foreign money. The East German attitude can be summed up as as "spend as much money as possible, don't take pictures!". It makes a lot of sense that the British Government did not want you to go there (the West German government didn't encourage it either, to put it mildly), but it's unlikely that you would have gotten into trouble for buying stuff there. ["Raststätte" is just the German word for the various roadhouses and drive-ins at highways. "Rast" means "rest", and "-stätte" is a "place to spend time at"]

[@brokeafengineerwannabe2071]

Really feels like an elaborate SCP guide

[@sergio-179]

The Gnome on preview was so cool

[@Lexip_Pixel]

Imagine going through the pain of creating such a video-script, editing, and all-only for the Berlin Wall to fall just a couple of weeks or months later :) :) :)

[@Paul-zq9se]

Such a banger intro

[@ПсевдонимПсевдонимов-ю8л]

What music is used by the way?

[@rozakfassah7730]

So much hassle, guess I won't visit West Berlin anytime soon

[@CalebEdwards-ut7ju]

This was in 1989

[@Dori1951]

As a matter of interest, rozakfassah, in which country do you live?

[@conradquek]

​@@Dori1951 Either the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya I'm guessing

[@PottersVideos2]

East Germany doesn't exist anymore, and the checkpoints were opened in 1989. They were later formally and permanently abolished.

[@jrgenw4795]

My god, no one of you can spot a joke💀

[@tobylane4935]

For the young people watching... you would have to remember all this as there was no way to watch it back on a phone...

[@ModusOperandi]

The travel pack mentioned contained all of this according to other commenters.

[@emilschw8924]

Interesting video giving a glimpse into the past known as the Cold War.

[@whiteshadow8520]

My roommate told me he fell asleep in the back seat as a kid on the way in and wasn’t counted. Almost couldn’t get back out

[@jaytecx5942]

Great music.

[@OfficialUSKRprogram]

Exactly like entering canada by car today

[@sabian8700]

So true

[@panzersusmander3728]

I can’t tell if this is anti-Canada or pro open borders

[@gnomedex]

LOL

[@alexclement7221]

...but with less saluting.

[@PottersVideos2]

It wouldn't surprise me if this was pretty similar to the procedure used by US soldiers travelling to Alaska.

[@humor1095]

Where's the retun journey video, I've heard that they did make one.

[@peterdahlgaard5605]

From what i hear the marienborn checkpoint was quite big. But damn i would hate to do this kind of travel in the long run...

[@liliya_aseeva]

The Marienborn checkpoint is not intended in any way for Allied personnel. The soviet checkpoint which is referred to in this video is a separate smaller building, and it serves the personnel of USSR and Allied countries. The Marienborn checkpoint meanwhile is reserved for BRD/DDR citizens crossings only.

[@SNicole82]

Does anyone know why you should only interact with Soviet soldiers?

[@runoflife87]

Brits were afraid of Stasi lol.

[@pettahify]

The allies did not recognise the DDR, only Soviet occupation. Likewise, I don't think(but I'm not sure) the Soviets recognised Federal Republic of Germany, only allied occupation. Thus, when interacting in all of Germany was only AlliesSoviets, or AlliesWest or SovietsEast.

[@MrSuper0306]

The four occupying nations had special rights in the whole of Germany then, as you know, Germany lost the 2nd world war. E.G. changes to the basic law of the federal republic required the consent of the occupying powers, therefore their movements within Germany superseded the sovereign rights of both countries, and is regarded as movements between the four power’s occupation zones, therefore the equal interaction side is the Soviet Union in the video’s case. Although the west had recognized the existence of the German Democratic Republic at the time when the video was produced, they didn’t recognize its powers in East Berlin, where the Republic had declared it as its capital, after the Soviet Union had unilaterally ended its occupation in East Berlin, while the western powers regard that any changes of the status of Berlin required the consent of each side. Therefore, as military personnel, representing the western nations any interaction with officials in the Democratic Republic would be regarded as a recognition of equal status of two countries instead of a winning power against a losing nation when the west enters the territory of the democratic republic and recognizing the status of East Berlin as the rightful capital of the democratic republic,

[@SNicole82]

@@MrSuper0306 Thank you for the info!

[@joshuabray37]

@@pettahify I have the same understanding... There is another video, done by a former British Soldier, retracing the parts of this video, in modern times, showing how things have changed (I mean, what building are still there, and what is gone). He explained, as you said, that the US/British/French didn't recognize the DDR (GDR) authorities, only the Soviet (because we didn't recognize the government of the DDR/GDR).

[@Rumpel-r4d]

Wtihin the east german speed limit of 100 km/h, the transit journey is less than 2 hours . Funny to think that the RMP *will wait 5 hours before they start searching you* ... by that time, you may have been half way to Moscow

[@Valerius333ITA]

1:31 The American flag is the one with the stars forming a circle.

[@Geotpf]

Title of the video is wrong. This is how to get to WEST Berlin (not East) via driving through the rest of Soviet controlled East Germany. Berlin, both West and East, was located within East Germany.

[@mlc4495]

No, the title is correct. The Western Powers never recognised East Berlin. They maintained ALL of Berlin was under the sole occupation and authority of the Allied Powers. Western forces routinely conducted "show of force" patrols into the Soviet sector of Berlin and the Soviets did likewise in the western sectors of the city. The Soviet war memorial was built in the British sector and the British went to great lengths to accommodate the daily Soviet honour guard there as much as possible.

[@laurensnieuwland4657]

What track is playing in the background at the beginning of the video?

[@ForelliBoy]

I am told there's a version of the video for traveling in the other direction (West Berlin back to West Germany proper) but I'm not sure if anyone posted it

[@Taureg]

You know I think I'll just stay home at this point

[@DerClouder]

"While trtaveling through East-Germany, conduct your official business with a russian personnel in english. If you encounter an East-German official, treat him like he does not exist." xD

[@Chairrrr.]

What i learnt the most: if you have an accident, request a soviet officer

[@pseudonym3690]

Thanks, very helpful.

[@Alguien644]

These roads look quite modern

[@minyiiiii]

2:28 hahahaha I'm sorry this is a serious film but the comparison btwn the soviet and german soldiers is hilarious to me somehow

[@CalebEdwards-ut7ju]

Its very telling how immature you must be if you find this funny.

[@IfYouWantThenYouCanHaveIt]

​@@CalebEdwards-ut7ju Boo-hoo

[@CalebEdwards-ut7ju]

@@IfYouWantThenYouCanHaveIt boo hoo indeed

[@magnusnufer4092]

I'm pretty sure that this was intentional. 🙂

[@Locateson]

I'd totally watch a spy-type movie that includes all these details

[@dylanhuculak8458]

15:44 Now, do your compulsory 80's training montage.

[@bengibson3298]

Wonder if there were gas stations during the route

[@satokotsu]

isnt the warning triangle just a normal germany procedure?

[@dislikebutton1712]

yes but i think they instructed you to follow the law at all times

[@toxy3580]

I'm heading to West Germany tomorrow but I can't find where the DDR or Soviet union is

[@aryan_kumar]

Why was it said to not use the Raststätten?

[@Charon.1]

Probably because the soldiers weren't allowed to interact with East German citizens in any way. You know, because any of them could be Stasi agents

[@CMDRsomeone77]

Hopefully no one going to Berlin using these directions was deaf in their left ear or they would be in for a tough time with this video.

[@Squeeonline]

my left ear really enjoyed this video

[@nerealitaate]

Kind of reminds me of the game "Papers, please" :)

[@onceuponatimeonearth]

Since it's the 80's you are also required by law to wear a moustache.

[@PottersVideos2]

3:20 What happens if you don't salute?

[@miyagidan]

The fella won't show it, but he'll be utterly crestfallen.

[@miyagidan]

The fella won't show it, but he'll be utterly crestfallen.

[@Rutherford_Inchworm_III]

I wondered the same thing. They don't specify the consequences, but I'd imagine you'd probably get arrested just out of spite.

[@Alex-cw3rz]

​​@@Rutherford_Inchworm_III it's not about spite, the point of saluting is to show that you are not there to be hostile with them. Furthermore a salute is a gesture of friendliness and respect the soldier is showing you, therefore you should return the favour.

[@Rutherford_Inchworm_III]

@@Alex-cw3rz See, that's kinda the difference between a 1st world democracy and a 3rd world dictatorship - if I choose to not be friendly and respectful (while breaking no other rules), what are the consequences? As I said: spite. A desire to harm with no possible benefit to yourself.

[@Losangelesharvey]

fascinating video thanks (some further comments: not clear why treating all travelers as military when they obviously were not; why the crappy resolution? no wonder people preferred to fly)

[@satiricalzero]

Because usually the only reason to go to East Germany was military (unless you had like family there). There were no flights to East Germany. Because its a VHS from 1989 is why the resolution is bad.

[@Alex_Guy1011]

Question. Can i show them a middle finger on my way out? How many stars will i get from the VOPO following this maneuver?

[@runoflife87]

Are you sure it's 1989? The other source shows 1988.

[@land2349]

right at the end of the video it says "Crown Copyright 1989"

[@sheismymom]

I'm still nervous

[@verrisczech]

what year is this from?

[@io_metre]

Obviously before any mobile network became available 😅

[@satiricalzero]

1989, its at the end of the video

[@OfficialAlexWoo]

amazing!

[@davebertoletti]

It looks and sounds surreal, but all this happened only a bunch of years ago…I mean, I lived those days. It really seems like we dodged a bullet back then.