US Installations details - 06

- history
- 'Old' CP Bravo
- 'New' CP Bravo
- duty missions
- the locations after Nov. 9, 1989
- interesting finds along the old Autobahn
- the Spy Tree
- photo section

West-Berlin once had 2 Allied Checkpoints with the name 'Checkpoint Bravo'. (BCP) Both of them were located in Zehlendorf, district in the former American sector. 1969, the first Checkpoint Bravo got replaced by the second one at an other location.
The first or 'old' Checkpoint Bravo, constructed by Western Allies in the early 1950s, was errected right next to Teltow Canal, ( nearby village 'Albrecht Teerofen' ), less than two miles away from Rose Range. It was the West-Berlin Border control point facility with the name 'Dreilinden' . It was manned by MP soldiers of the Western Allies , West-Berlin police & customs units. ( separate control shacks )
Funny at this time was the fact, that the Autobahn ( known as 'AVUS' within of West-Berlin) after leaving the divided city & the American sector led through GDR territory (woods) for about 2 miles before it reached CP Bravo. But that was on West-Berlin territory again, 'framed' by various GDR border installations like wooden watchtowers, barricades etc.

A small road along the southern side of Teltow canal (on West-Berlin territory) led to that Checkpoint. It looked like a 'nose of freedom' inside of GDR territory. The whole CP compound was about 300 yards long only. Look below at the bird-eye photo. The 'zone' Autobahn route to CP Bravo was called by many West-Berliners 'no-mans land'. This was not really correct because it belonged to the Soviet sector (GDR). It surely got patrolled by GDR border guards around the clock. West-Berliner on the way to the Checkpoint were not allowed to leave their vehicles. Often they had to wait in long lines because the GDR border guards once again had temporary blocked the route by unknown reasons. It often was boring to leave West-Berlin by using that transit way.

Right after CP Bravo, continued the GDR with its so-called 'Farmer & Workers paradise'. Their own, much more intensive control facilities, have been about half a mile ahead. There, the by Stasi advised border troops, did everything to give the travelers a hard time. It was their usual way to practice their communist power.

1969, the 'old' CP Bravo was closed because in the meanwhile the GDR government had built a new section of transit Autobahn which had a straight connection to the -AVUS- of West Berlin. About 300 yards infront of the 'new' CP Bravo, you could see an old WWII Russian tank (T34), mounted on top of an huge memorial. The GDR Checkpoint section was called 'DREWITZ', the West Berlin Checkpoint kept its old well known name, 'DREILINDEN'. The distance between both CP installations was about half a mile.

The 'old' CP Bravo was inside a long but small wooden shack, located in the middle of the transit Autobahn. The 'new' CP Bravo was inside of a modern building (concrete) which looked like a 'house bridge' across the AVUS Autobahn. Obove the former entrance door (glass) you still can read the big sign: 'Checkpoint Bravo / entrance'. (see photo section) The facility is under monumental protection now.

About 300 yards behind the CP is Potsdamer Chaussee. The famous Autobahn exit and entrance there is called 'Kleeblatt' because on a map it looks like a huge clover leaf. Potsdamer Chaussee is a part of the former Bundestrasse No.1 which connects Postdam to the center of Berlin. (district Tiergarten) All U.S. Army units had to pass it to get down to McNair & Andrews Barracks or to many other legendary military facilities.

CP BRAVO was manned, as the two other Checkpoints ALPHA and CHARLIE, by American, British and French Military Police. The American MPs belonged to the 287^th MP Co. , stationed at Andrews Barracks. 11 years I have worked together with that legendary MP unit.

The U.S. MP Company had sent 2 soldiers who worked shift duty. 1 D/SGT (MP in charge / NCOIC), rank: SGT / E5 , or SSG / E6) & a detailed MP (E-4 / SP4 and below) who monitored all U.S travel from Berlin to Helmstedt (CP Alpha) & reverse.

The main responsibility of the NCOIC was to make sure that the -FLAG ORDERS- (written in English and Russian language) were correct. He had to check the green or blue military ID cards, brown Dependent ID cards or U.S. Passports to ensure that they match to the FLAG ORDERS. Otherwise the Russian officials would send them back. All U.S. members were not allowed to deal with GDR border military.

The assistant, detailed MP, had to show all U.S. transit travelers the ' East zone' route ( about 110 miles) on a map & corresponding photos. (different turn signs on the Zone Autobahn to Helmstedt / CP Alpha). He also gave instructions how to deal with the Soviets and GDR military. All Allied trasit travelers were advised to outprocess at Checkpoint Alpha or visa versa. There they also had to give back the small travel information folder. It contained phrases to deal with GDR and Russians military. (in German, English and Russian language) The GDR border troops were wellknown for harrassment without an end! Arbitrariness was their daily goal!

Today, 'OLD' CP Bravo is totally gone, already in Spring 1971, the installation was torn down. In the late 1990s also the old Autobahn pavement was taken off, nature quickly took over again. But at the former CP site some old pavement still is visible, also some white colored written words & markings how and where the transit vehicles had to line up. At the spot of the former Allied control shack remained just the 3 Allied flag poles. At the end of the old CP is the old wooden abandoned 'Raststaette Dreilinden'. (restaurant for transit travelers) End of 1969, that area & the old Autobahn section 'fell in sleep'. It was strictly -off limits- for civilians to enter the GDR border area next to that abandoned CP site which still belonged to West-Berlin. Where once the West-Allies, West-Berlin police & customs enforced law & order, then suddenly foxes & rabbits 'took over the commando'. If somebody got caught he risked his life. No more help from the 'West' was available. GDR border patrols fired their weapons without mercy! They were known as 'human hunters' & some troops really did!

After Nov. 9, 1989 (Fall of the Berlin Wall), people suddenly got access to that prohibited GDR border area. I recall my first visit there in February 1990, - what an adventure! Climbing through an hole in the border fence I got to that hidden old Autobahn section and hiked all the way down to Old CP Bravo. On the way its 'history' still was visible. Abandoned bridges across the Autobahn where already young trees grown in between the rusty railway tracks or pavement showed that there was for a very long time no more traffic. It all was within the restricted border area & by this way off limits for everybody who belonged not to the GDR border troops. Beside or along the Autobahn lanes I discovered next to various travel trash, old well known bottles. They were dirty & 'filled with nature' of the last 40 years but after cleaning looked like new. It were old milk & soda glass bottles named: 'Fanta', 'Florida Boy', 'Canada Dry', 'Sinalco', 'Coke' (German, American, French made), to mention just a few. The year markings on the bottles were from 1941 - 1960s. Very nice & also rare souvenirs of the so-called 'good old times' ! All of them once must have been thrown out of car windows by transit travelers during the years until 1969.

Right next to the 'new' CP Bravo I've made another very interesting discovery! It was a 'spy-tree', less than 300 feet away from the Allied control facility! About 20 yards away of the local 'Koenigswegbruecke' (bridge) which goes above the transit Autobahn, once hidden behind the GDR border fence, is an old oak tree. On its back side there are visible about 20 strong metal steps (function like a ladder) which led to the top of that strong tree. In its hight of about 60 feet, Stasi agents could observe & photograph the Allied CP actions perfectly! The Allies had no chance to see the spies on that tall tree. After 1990 the border fence was torn down, left visible damage to the trees, but the spy steps on that oak tree still are there. Somebody must have kicked them deep in the wood, for sure was not an easy job. They are a special witness of the Cold War era. West-Berlin, once really was - the city of thousands spies!
After Checkpoint Charlie (Kreuzberg) also the 'new' CP Bravo on September 21, 1990, got closed forever. (Allied ceremony)

Regarding latest news, - the abandoned site of the old CP Bravo is planned to sell by auction in September 2010. That means, after it another historical place of the Cold War disappears forever.