Checkpoint Charlie - Berlin's Cold War Frontier

The history of Checkpoint Charlie, the most famous of Berlin's East-West crossing points and the focus of a serious standoff between the US and Soviet Union in 1961 that could have led to World War III.
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[@majgijoe]

For those who think the History Channel is all about ancient aliens, this is what it used to look like. The History Channel I grew up with.

[@robertthedutchguy4365]

Some people call it Snack point Charley now, because of all the fastfood shops and tourists there.

[@MyLateralThawts]

Sometimes I wonder if there are pictures and reports in the East German border guard records of that annoying boy who keeps climbing the accessible outer West German wall, tearing off the rusted barb wire, throwing garbage over the wall and verbally abusing the East German guards who came to shoo him away. Yeah, that was me between 1973 to 1975 when I lived in Kreuzberg, within the American sector.

[@ronnysterling7694]

Christian Unger Nice work friend

[@yurihoo]

Respekt

[@l.a.xgunner]

Jesus. You got some balls to do that, knowing that you were putting your life at risk

[@connorcore7008]

You probably have a file with the Stasi you could access?

[@Unlinked72]

That is really interesting. Where did you when you done this?

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

A cool thing is that I walked through Check Point Charlie in November of 1988. In the East, I made new friends (I spoke German), went up the TV tower, and in full uniform, attended an opera with Soviet and East German military officers in attendance. I walked in with my new East German friends near the stage and the ENTIRE opera hall went quiet. So surreal, and what an experience. My German friends asked when I got back to my kaserne when I expected the Wall to come down. I replied simply, _"Not in our lifetimes."_ Got that wrong.

[@darkstarnh]

I went through Charlie in Nov 89 the day after the wall was opened as part of a TV crew. An incredible experience.

[@TheFlatlander440]

Interesting vid. I remember as a kid in 1969 passing through Checkpoint Charlie with my parents on a tour of East Berlin. We were stopped, frisked and the bus searched top to bottom and using mirrors to inspect the undercarriage. We visited the Brandenburg Gate and saw the changing of the Soviet guard there along with a small museum. Brings back fond memories of the summer of 1969. Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[@VanBurenOfficial]

I remember as a kid in 1969 passing through Brussels, Belgium. I met a man in a bakery who I'd reckon was about 6'4" and filled to the brim with muscles. I asked a simple question: "Do you speak my language?"

[@jimbomchooch6007]

@@VanBurenOfficial I'm guessing that's a reference to the song land down under, but what has this got to do with either the video or the original post?

[@MasterMalrubius]

@@VanBurenOfficial Did he just smile and offer you a Vegemite sandwich?

[@StevioGaming1]

Andrew Boehmer yes, and he said that he also came from a land down under. He remarked, were women glow and men plunder.

[@rajivmurkejee7498]

Moron @@VanBurenOfficial

[@randomcoyote8807]

Such memories! I passed through Checkpoint Charlie back when I was a young Infantry Private, and the seriousness of the Checkpoint was the real thing. If you'd pulled us aside and told us that within a couple years it would all be a footnote to history, we'd have not believed it possible. When things decide to change, they change fast.

[@andrewholmes1889]

My father was a diplomat in the Australian embassy in East Berlin from 1977 to 1979. I was about 10 at the time. I remember crossing the wall every day through check point bravo to go to the British school at Gatow in West Berlin. Interesting times.

[@thomaswilson3437]

One of my cousins was a platoon leader in one of the tank platoons involved in the Oct 1961 confrontation. He was actually my dads age, and I remember them talking about it (both were serving army officers). Norman (my cousin) said yes they were fully locked and loaded and if the order was given they would not have hesitated to engage. He figured their life expectancy to be about 15 minutes should that have happened, but as he said “it would have been a hell of a fifteen minutes”. He was medically discharged much later in his career and died of multiple sclerosis. In the 1980’s I went to Berlin several times while serving in Germany, driving through checkpoint Alpha and Bravo, then later passing through to East Berlin. Funny thing about driving there. While we did not recognize the DDR police, you were still checked on your time of transit on the Helmstadt -Berlin Autobahn. So even though the DDR police couldn’t stop you, If you made it to Berlin too fast, the U.S. Army Military Police would ticket you for speeding.

[@asheland_numismatics]

This channel is like Christmas every day!

[@rubblenutchubberos9563]

Yeah

[@cindyslacum4490]

Indeed

[@Mountainmonths]

i love it

[@richardlawson4317]

Oh please, don't say that. One XMAS is too much for any year!

[@asheland_numismatics]

Richard Lawson 😂

[@neilstiener5553]

Yes, while serving in W Germany(1980-82), I had a weeks leave in Berlin, and as per the international agreement, I crossed through Checkpoint Charlie, to spend a day in East Berlin. Talk about the slums, compared to the west!...

[@primusvsunicron1]

Neil Stiener how much damage from WWII was there still remaining at the time

[@MrJoeGarner]

I went through Checkpoint Charlie back in 1990, the difference between east and west was amazing. So drab in the east and the west was much nicer and better maintained. This was right after the wall had officially fallen but was still there up until late 1991 when I headed back to the US. Amazing to have been part of this piece of German history. My ex-girlfriend got away with my piece of the wall, she still has it in her home.

[@KEKKREEM]

I was recently in Berlin. CPC is manned by Turks. My father escaped east Berlin with just the clothes on his back and his lunch pail. He was warned by a friend that 'they' were waiting for him as he was a highly skilled machinist. I appreciate your work.

[@VHMMP]

Great piece of history, thanks. As a 10 year old, I crossed through Checkpoint Charlie with my family in 1967 for a day trip into East Berlin. The contrast between East and West was astounding. The Checkpoint itself was very intimidating by the East Germans looking us over in detail. Mirrors pushed under our bus, armed guards everywhere and passport inspections with one guard forcibly removing one man's hat for a better look at his face! There was a woman on our bus taking photos in the middle of the Checkpoint when signs clearly said don't! The other passengers were freaking out at her.

[@sarjim4381]

You can still see some of the impressions from tank treads in the streets on both sides of Checkpoint Charlie. I didn't get to see it until 2000 when it had become a tourist attraction. Standing at the guard shed and looking east is still a rather grim prospect today. It must have been terrifying for a 19 year old soldier in 1961.

[@itsjohndell]

Im old enough to remember the Mexican Standoff with Tanks as a kid. Later, in the early 1980's when tensions between the East and West were heating up I visited East Berlin. As a serving Air Force Officer (traveling in mufti) I was required to go to Charlie and sign the "Day Book". You had to state a time at which you intended to return and sign out when you did. If you did not return by the time stated or close to it, inquries would be made. I remember looking out of my hotel window late at night and watching the Grenzshutzpolitzei patrolling the Wall. Who was the Frenchman who said "It's not that i hate Germany...in fact I am glad there are two of them."

[@ArnoSchmidt70]

I thing the saying came from Margret Thatcher.

[@lsq7833]

It was Mauriac, the quote goes "I love Germany so much that I prefer there to be two of them"

[@itsjohndell]

Thanks for the attribution and correct quote. I was close, lol. @@lsq7833

[@misottovoce]

I lived in Berlin for a year in 1966 and then later 1979 to 1985. I do remember Checkpoint Charlie well. Thank you for the video. Brought back memories.

[@kingjamesviscotland241]

Insterest facts, the 4 powers did cooperate in guarding the Spandau prison where Rudolf Hess was incarcerated in the British sector of Germany. This was the only time they also met cooperatively until 1986

[@neilstiener5553]

And 3 of the 4 powers were willing to release him. The Soviets objected, so he remained there until his death...

[@mindeloman]

@@neilstiener5553 - the 3 western powers wanted to release Hess back in the 70's. It cost about $600,000 USD per year to guard one prisoner. As per agreement, west Germany had to cover this expense. Each power had a 3 month block for guard duty. They approached the USSR multiple times but they refused every time. The reason: the KGB. This arrangement gave the Soviets/KGB unfettered access to west berlin. They could sneak operatives in with the rest of the soviet guard. Hess' ability to be paroled was a sacrifice on the alter of the cold war.

[@revspinnaker1932]

I went through Checkpoint Charlie in 1972 when I was 16. It was very scary. We were told that I should never be left alone for even a second. Kids my age that could pass for German were murdered for their passports. They'd just disappear. By the time the Soviets got the missing person report, the perpetrators and passport were long gone. Even in '72 East Berlin was a bombed out wreck from the war. Thirty year old trees were growing out of the remains. Large bullet holes were everywhere. West Berlin was thriving.

[@ambu6478]

I crossed Check Point Charlie in 1974, while on a training exercise in West Berlin with a group from the 1st and 4th Infantry . I remember thinking how it seemed like there was almost no color in East Berlin... very dismal and depressing... especially seeing all of the wreaths and markers of those that tried to get across the wall to West Germany.

[@guidor.4161]

Great! Brings back a lot of memories too ;-) I was studying in Berlin starting in 1985 - a common way to avoid military service. West-German residents of (West-) Berlin were exempt due to the 4-power status of Berlin. Some interesting anecdotes, like the time some friends tried to transit to West-Germany in a car doing ads for West cigarettes (remember: "Go West"). Or the other time a friend from Poland had vanished for weeks, until we found out he was in an East German prison for ramming a border barrier in a drunken state wanting to drive to Hamburg.

[@ericboyle8296]

I remember crossing Checkpoint Charlie when I was stationed in Germany in the 1980s. East Berlin still looked like a war zone. The exchange rate was very good for us. I bought a pair of mil spec Zeiss binos there for about $50.

[@Mountainmonths]

its really a crime that your channel doesnt get more attention.

[@ricwolt]

I saw all of this unfolding on our new black and white tv back in 1961. My Dad rode his moped from Holland to the East German border as he wanted to see things for himself but was unable cross the East German border as the only way allowed to get to Berlin was via the Autobahn on which mopeds were not allowed. In 1985 I rode my motorcyle to Berlin. After crossing the border you were only allowed to ride/drive a direct route to Berlin. The border area looked frightening with all the guards and control towers. At Checkpoint Charly I rode my motorcyle along the wall as far as was possible. Interesting times

[@Daapse]

Loving the east/west post-war germany videos keep it up

[@seumasnatuaighe]

There was a museum in the building next to the checkpoint which displayed tools and equipment used by escapees from the east. There was a car with concrete armor and tires filled with rags which had forced the barriers. It was badly shot up but the occupants survived. This was my intro to the cold war - lots of fun and games with a few close shaves. Anyone remember the O club on Clay Allee? Satellite TV in 1970.

[@josephnardone1250]

Actually, Checkpoint Charlie was established long before the Berlin Wall was erected. A 1954 movie, "The Night People," starring Gregory Peck was about espionage in Berlin at the time. Seen in the movie was Checkpoint Charlie. This was 7 years before the Wall was built. If not wrong, checkpoints between the west & east zones in Berlin were erected after WW2.

[@langohio]

I think that's correct. There were checkpoints which people traveling between East and West Berlin were supposed to use, but as yet no wall.

[@jamiemezs9891]

My dad was with the AMERICAN army in Berlin 1953. He also fought in Korea in 1952 he was a bad ass .🥰

[@Foomba]

I know a gentleman that pulled guard duty at Checkpoint Charlie at the height of the Berlin Crisis. Thanks for all of your excellent videos!

[@Twisted_utopia]

I remember when the Berlin wall was up as a little kid. I had totally forgot about it, thanks for the historic nostalgia Mark.

[@N_Wheeler]

Checkpoint Alpha & Bravo were at Helmstedt (then FRG) & the west side of Berlin (east of Potsdam), respectively. Those two points controlled Allied Forces road travel between the FRG and Berlin. At Checkpoint Alpha, we were given a 3-ring binder of rules, maps & pictures to navigate to Checkpoint Bravo. We gave back the binder at Bravo, and reversed the process when leaving Berlin towards Alpha. From Bamberg to Bravo was 7 hours to me; the last 2hrs from Alpha to Bravo.

[@jimbo9357]

I went through Checkpoint Charlie back in the day. Night and day between the east and west.

[@dereklea1183]

I was stationed at Teufelsberg in the mid 80’s. Made several visits to East Berlin through Checkpoint Charlie. Was an eerie feeling making your way through the serpentine barricades in the tour bus. Still, good memories from then.

[@pse888]

Best researcher, expert and channel on youtube. Great work Mr. Felton. (Peter from Canada)

[@anthonywalsh7613]

When I served in West Berlin I ended up serving 28 days in the guardroom jail for getting drunk & fighting. Our nick was the garrison nick. A Scottish soldier from KOSB got sent 2 us. He told us his story, as follows: He was married 2 a German lass & they both used 2 go over 2 DDR a lot shopping. Well he would wait in a bar having a drink & his wife would go shopping. One time a couple of females sat with him chatting. Well this happened a couple of times. Then one week they invited him & his wife 2 their flat 4 a meal, which they accepted. During the meal one of the ladies asked if he could get them through checkpoint Charlie, as they all knew that east German guards could not search British military personnel. He refused & took them 2 his car 2 show them there was not even enough room in boot for 2 of them 2 fit in. As soon as boot was open they both jumped in. I suppose it was like emotional blackmail as he sed they were crying & pleading with him. He thought fk it & shut the boot down with them inside. Well across they all went. He dropped them off on west side & thought no more of it. The refugees then went 2 American consulate/embassy & were cross examined. The truth came out & the Scot was pulled in. He ended up on court martial & kicked out of Army. When he had dropped them off they gave him a east German 5DM note & they had written on it. We owe you a million of these

[@brianrobson5208]

Fascinating piece on what were very dark times for post war Germany. Thank you Mark 👍

[@danielgorzelniak3209]

Dark times for German people started around 1943 and havent ended yet

[@davidrobertsemail]

I lived in Berlin from 83-87 as a British army child. Wonderful times. We used to travel to east Berlin often for shopping and the ballet. Traveling through to “The zone” which was West Germany meant going through checkpoint bravo. That was called the corridor through east Germany to Helmstedt.

[@GauravSharmaIN]

I discovered your channel 1 week ago, and suddenly this is the most played channel on my subscription list. 😊

[@scottc3]

Visiting Berlin next week, first time back since my time in the British Army in Germany late 80's.

[@kingerikthegreatest.ofall.7860]

Excellent, once again mark. My uncle was stationed in West Berlin when the Cold War almost became at hot war. Checkpoint Charlie is featured quite prominently in the recent movie bridge of spies.

[@kayzeaza]

My father was stationed in Stuttgart during the mid 80s with the US army. He was able to do an orientation tour of Berlin and he was able to go into some of the shops of Easy Berlin and buy things

[@cindyslacum4490]

Dear mark I really love your videos and I find each and everyone of them Intresting. Thank you! Edit: And I am proud to subscribe to you!

[@stevendenton4965]

They started building the Berlin wall the day me and my twin sister were born, Sunday August 13, 1961.

[@Senna-xi1gr]

Another great production 👍

[@bayareajokester9456]

I just discovered this channel the other day and I can already say that the channel will be one of my golden nuggets of KZbin!

[@OldDanTucker]

nice topic. i have had trouble finding info on the Berlin blockade, thanks for making a video about it.

[@RedSemen420]

m8 i just have to say that this channel is absolutely wonderful! every single video cleary has alot of time and research behind them and i hope you will bless us with many many more to come. thank you for the great content

[@JohnDoe-fu6zt]

I remember passing through Checkpoint Charlie in August of '74 with a tour group. We visited the Russian War Memorial, where our absurd commie guide spoke glowingly of "the Glorious Red Army which stands vigilant to guard the peace of the world." I remember the people everywhere staring at our bus, I remember the trees growing through the construction materials which were allegedly being used to rebuild a church destroyed 29 years earlier in 1945. Passing back through the Checkpoint a masculine female guard inspected each of our passports, holding the photos next to our faces while she glared suspiciously at us, all the while other guards inspected the underside of the bus with mirrors on little wheeled contraptions. What a sense of joyous relief as we saw those beautiful Stars and Stripes over that simple little white shed on the American side!

[@sojourner1511]

I been there. 1961. Mom and her family crossed into the west the same day they closed the wall. Opa bribed the gate guard with a pack of c-ration cigarettes. Saw the wall my self in 1977. I was 16.

[@michaeljames4904]

Dr Felton, your channel just gets better and better. Just polished off the last Le Carré so this vid is well timed!

[@rascallyrabbit717]

I very much enjoyed this story of the checkpoint Charlie confrontations. Searching out more of your videos about the subject. Please continue. Spy vs Spy was all I had when I was a child but it got me started

[@TheDeJureTour]

I'm really liking these immediate post-war informational videos. Is there any chance that you could do one on the Berlin Airlift?

[@snubbedpeer]

I walked across there sometime in the eighties with my boss. My boss had been on a tour of Europe just before so his wallet was full of different currencies. He regretted forgetting about that as he had to fill in a form for each currency, it took some time!

[@thomasbeck9075]

I never knew what checkpoint charlie was until now sad the things they leave out of history class. Thank you Dr.Mark for another great video

[@langohio]

I enjoy your videos. One mistake here: the troops along the GDR border (including the Friedrichstrasse-Zimmerstrasse crossing) at the time of the crisis were members of the Border Troops, not the People's Police. Earlier, the border was guarded on the GDR side by the "German Border Police," which became the Border Troops on Sept. 15, 1961. Neither formation was part of the People's Police.

[@panzerraven4135]

I remember it being torn down.. I was really young but I felt this was a major happening in history..

[@u.h.forum.]

Your videos also contain video footage that I’ve never seen before, very interesting.

[@edwardhoward6556]

This is a cool video because I recently stayed near Checkpoint Charlie in the October half term. Cool video that tells a lot of facts about the Berlin Crisis.

[@scottleft3672]

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold and The Third Man, are absolute must see films, to get the feel of this era.

[@kaarlosuotamo3409]

Thank You Mark. You keep important history alive

[@Silverraptorvideos]

I recently visited that tourist location of checkpoint Charlie several months ago. There is also a museum right next to it that shows everything that happened during the time the Berlin Wall was raised. They even had the tank standoff on display as well!

[@jamesmccutchen2014]

My father was one of those tank commanders at checkpoint Charlie when this occurred. Daddy was in the Korean war but said he was more scared here because all it would've taken was for 1 person to fire n it would have been over.

[@donball5918]

Having been stationed in Berlin from 1970-1971 (I was posted at McNair Barracks) and passing through Checkpoint Charlie on several occasions, I greatly appreciate your posting this video. The difference between the "decadent" capitalist West and the "worker's paradise" of the East was like night and day. I'll take the USA any day of the week.

[@crafter170]

Another interesting vid....was over there in 1990 .the right hand window of the security building was smashed by a brick .funny the things you remember.The museum just down the street a bit is good too .Showed an old car with steel plates welded for armour they used to charge through the crossing .All very nostalgic this .

[@herbwag6456]

Hitler's ghost hovers over these scenes like a nimbus. I vaguely remember these events as a 9 nine year old kid.

[@xx1theman]

Thanks, Mark Felton. Very nicely made.

[@taylorg8509]

Thank you for these videos!

[@jlh8830]

Absolutely great content friend thank you so much

[@Ch1n4Sailor]

Best video yet!!!!! Thank you!

[@championjosh3536]

Keep your vidoes going man! Love them!

[@AtheistOrphan]

On a related subject, how about a video on Brixmis/Soxmis? Or one or the Berlin U-Bahn ‘Ghost Stations’?

[@xxxfirehuunterxxx]

Loving the vids Mark!

[@alexmarra6656]

Another great video about history i didn't know,thankyou!!

[@dougtheviking6503]

Thanks Mark ! Good stuff as always .

[@cogman62]

Visited Checkpoint Charlie in April/May 1978. It was humbling to see East Germans unable to move freely within their own country.

[@robertmcdougall3520]

Thanks Mark another great video keep them coming

[@kajet666]

There is also a super interesting museum next to Check Point Charlie, worth spending some time in.

[@pzjg70]

Very accurate, thank you

[@CastilloinaSpeedo]

I love this channel!

[@MarkFeltonProductions]

I love you saying that!

[@CastilloinaSpeedo]

Your videos remind me of the stuff I grew up watching on the history channel in the 90s. Now they just play Pawn Stars and I have to turn to KZbin to get my history fix.

[@jimmybonzjr]

Very good video Mark, thanks for that.

[@johnDukemaster]

Been there. Well worth a visit. And do visit the wall museum located just beside. I can tell you, it's a quiet place. Some people in tears...

[@FreeFallingAir]

I think its amazing we are all still alive

[@Vendell_23]

This is now my new favorite channel

[@Rotorhead99]

I was a crypto guard on the Berlin train in 1987/88, I forget exactly. I had a few days in Berlin and was allowed to cross into the East for a few hours. They craved western cigarettes. I smoked back then and handed over what I had in my pockets. It was tax free then to NATO soldiers. I was amazed than on the East side of the Brandenburg gate it had hardly been repaired since 1945, still riddled with bullet holes and damage from the war.

[@icecoffee1361]

One of my favourite channels mark 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Doughboy842]

Must had been a scary time during those standoffs at that checkpoint.

[@Lucaeus]

Mark Felton you are the man!

[@Johnnycdrums]

"The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" brought me here.

[@LiftOffLife]

I actually crossed into East Berlin through checkpoint charlie in the 1970's.

[@VengineerGER]

What a coincidence I went there two weeks back. Really interesting stuff in the museum.

[@tahaedirneli9131]

I visited there, I took a lot of photo with unreal soldiers.That place have a different soul.I feel a lot of things in the past

[@globial5329]

Thank you Mark, very cool!

[@kevanbaconofficial]

The BBC did a fantastic Cold War spy miniseries called Game, Set, Match in the 80s, with Ian Holm in the lead role. Very intricate and realistic spy drama (I.e. almost no guns, trying to outsmart opponents rather than out fighting them, etc). The first third was filmed on location in West Berlin, the atmosphere is simply amazing. There's an incredibly tense moment where Holm, undercover as a German citizen, goes through the checkpoint after a mission in the East, struggling to act natural while crossing. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys stories of Cold War Berlin.

[@user-xg8yy7yl1d]

Im still mad that the French got a sector of Berlin but not the Canadians who did way more through the war and stormed the beaches at D Day while the French waited to be rescued after surrendering a few weeks into the war. Yes the french resistance but every other occupied country had a resistance too. The french didnt deserve to be one of the 4 powers IMO

[@Trollportphosphat]

Nice to see those old footages as a berliner. Knowing all those places today.

[@eisenjeisen6262]

Thats a very good rundown of those years gone by

[@SamuelKhan]

Nescafe (the official instant coffee of the JFK assassination) makes a cameo at 5:25. Thanks.

[@panderson9561]

This video reminded me of a story I read on a forum...Arm Chair General. One of the forum members had served in the US Army, in nuke weapons, in West Berlin. He said they had 250...something like that...Davy Crockett nuclear devices in West Berlin. If there had ever been an attempt by the Warsaw Pact to take West Berlin, their orders were to fire off all of those nukes in a 360 degree arc around West Berlin, then back back into the rubble and dare the other guys to come and get them. Point of that tactic being that the Russian/East German troops would've had to traverse radioactive terrain to get into West Berlin, and the hope was that most wouldn't be willing to commit suicide in order to take West Berlin.

[@jimrobbo]

I love your videos keep up the good work

[@Thepriest39]

I visited check point Charlie 4 years ago. It was so awesome to see part of Cold War history. I took my two sons with me who were probably the same age as the soldiers manning that checkpoint in 1961. I don’t think my sons had a complete understanding of what went on there. We were on the edge of war with Russia. The guards were just kids ready to kill each other. If you haven’t been there you should go and see it.