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As we all know, in the days when Germany was divided in two, East Germans were not allowed to travel to the West without authorization, and those who attempted to do so and failed were subject to fines and even imprisonment. If memory serves, the government of West Germany considered all Germans potentially its citizens, so those who successfully crossed the border were automatically entitled to be issued a West German passport, at least assuming the person was clearly German. (I'm not sure how they went about that issue.)
My first question is, for East Germans who made it to the West and had been granted West German papers, could they safely return to East Germany, say to visit friends or relatives? If they did so, would they still be in danger of arrest and prosecution by East German authorities for having emigrated without authorization, or did their West German passports protect them?
My second question has to do with the steady westward flow of East Germans, particularly educated professionals, before the borders were locked down. Did the East German authorities make any overtures towards the West about making it less easy for the emigrants on their end? If so, how did the Western authorities respond? Did they say something to the effect that if they treated their people better, not as many would want to leave?
As we all know, in the days when Germany was divided in two, East Germans were not allowed to travel to the West without authorization, and those who attempted to do so and failed were subject to fines and even imprisonment. If memory serves, the government of West Germany considered all Germans potentially its citizens, so those who successfully crossed the border were automatically entitled to be issued a West German passport, at least assuming the person was clearly German. (I'm not sure how they went about that issue.)
My first question is, for East Germans who made it to the West and had been granted West German papers, could they safely return to East Germany, say to visit friends or relatives? If they did so, would they still be in danger of arrest and prosecution by East German authorities for having emigrated without authorization, or did their West German passports protect them?
My second question has to do with the steady westward flow of East Germans, particularly educated professionals, before the borders were locked down. Did the East German authorities make any overtures towards the West about making it less easy for the emigrants on their end? If so, how did the Western authorities respond? Did they say something to the effect that if they treated their people better, not as many would want to leave?
They weren't only subject to fine and imprisonment, but subject to getting shot dead for crossing the border. Coming back to E. Germany would face a session with the friendly Stasi and electrodes place on certain body parts, followed by a double tap in the head behind the prison.
And yes, the population of E. Germany significantly declined in the 50s before the Berlin Wall and strict border controls were put in place. The "brain drain" is one of the reasons the stricter border controls came into effect.
Not directly related to the OP's question, but here's an anecdote that shows just how the divide seeped down to every facet of life. When Berlin was divided, its subway system was divided along with it. There was at least one line whose ends served West Berlin but which passed through East Berlin territory along the way. The East Berlin stations were closed and the trains did not stop. The controllers in East Berlin would hold up a train coming from one direction as a sort of ransom, until a reciprocal train from the other direction came through. And then that train would get held until the next one would come, and so on and so on, all day long, in a sort of rolling hostage exchange.
Incidentally, when the system was reunited, those closed stations were seen as perfectly preserved time capsules of the era when the city was first divided.
Not directly related to the OP's question, but here's an anecdote that shows just how the divide seeped down to every facet of life. When Berlin was divided, its subway system was divided along with it. There was at least one line whose ends served West Berlin but which passed through East Berlin territory along the way. The East Berlin stations were closed and the trains did not stop. The controllers in East Berlin would hold up a train coming from one direction as a sort of ransom, until a reciprocal train from the other direction came through. And then that train would get held until the next one would come, and so on and so on, all day long, in a sort of rolling hostage exchange.
Incidentally, when the system was reunited, those closed stations were seen as perfectly preserved time capsules of the era when the city was first divided.
I crossed the Intra-German border at least six times in 1987 and 1988 when living in West Germany. Germans generally only did this when transiting to West Berlin. Foreign nationals (I used my US passport) were the more likely candidates for tourism crossings.
The train crossings were more "intense" than the planes to Berlin Tegel. Flying to West Berlin was easy, I recall the routes as Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, and Koeln/ Bonn to TXL. Intra-German air traffic was exclusively operated by the victorious powers (Pan Am for the US, BA for the UK. Air France had limited service). No Lufthansa. Aeroflot did not fly to Tegel as far as I remember (but rather to Schoenefeld from Moscow). The prewar airport, Tempelhof had largely ceded Berlin airport dominance in the 1970s.
Via train, like via highway, Westerners were restricted to certain routes, and passports were examined when crossing into East Germany (their agents boarded the train; passengers did not exit until Berlin). I never did the crossing via automobile, but I knew people who did. It was illegal to carry Ostmarks, but they were available for purchase (at around 7 Ostmarks: 1 Deutsche mark) at every bank branch in West Germany. The conversion was done in a "sub rosa" fashion, which I always found amusing considering how upstanding the clerks usually behaved in my local Deutsche Bank.
The only place you could spend the Ostmarks was of course in East Germany, so day trips to East Berlin offered a tourist opportunity. I recall buying the works of Karl Marx in the original German on Unter den Linden. Some of the parts of Berlin that were in East Germany are among the most desirable neighborhoods today, especially in Mitte (like Hackescher Markt) and Prenzlauer Berg. West Germans generally did not cross into East Berlin. I expect partly out of fear for their own freedom.
Even though the country was split for less than 50 years, it was striking how separate the two halves had developed. It's still apparent today, 30 years later. If you want an astonishing contrast, tour the (substantial) parts of prewar Germany awarded to Poland and Czechia. Many of the villages look completely German, and many are nearly abandoned -- the local population having no "roots" there.
I crossed the Intra-German border at least six times in 1987 and 1988 when living in West Germany. Germans generally only did this when transiting to West Berlin. Foreign nationals (I used my US passport) were the more likely candidates for tourism crossings.
The train crossings were more "intense" than the planes to Berlin Tegel. Flying to West Berlin was easy, I recall the routes as Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, and Koeln/ Bonn to TXL. Intra-German air traffic was exclusively operated by the victorious powers (Pan Am for the US, BA for the UK. Air France had limited service). No Lufthansa. Aeroflot did not fly to Tegel as far as I remember (but rather to Schoenefeld from Moscow). The prewar airport, Tempelhof had largely ceded Berlin airport dominance in the 1970s.
Via train, like via highway, Westerners were restricted to certain routes, and passports were examined when crossing into East Germany (their agents boarded the train; passengers did not exit until Berlin). I never did the crossing via automobile, but I knew people who did. It was illegal to carry Ostmarks, but they were available for purchase (at around 7 Ostmarks: 1 Deutsche mark) at every bank branch in West Germany. The conversion was done in a "sub rosa" fashion, which I always found amusing considering how upstanding the clerks usually behaved in my local Deutsche Bank.
The only place you could spend the Ostmarks was of course in East Germany, so day trips to East Berlin offered a tourist opportunity. I recall buying the works of Karl Marx in the original German on Unter den Linden. Some of the parts of Berlin that were in East Germany are among the most desirable neighborhoods today, especially in Mitte (like Hackescher Markt) and Prenzlauer Berg. West Germans generally did not cross into East Berlin. I expect partly out of fear for their own freedom.
Even though the country was split for less than 50 years, it was striking how separate the two halves had developed. It's still apparent today, 30 years later. If you want an astonishing contrast, tour the (substantial) parts of prewar Germany awarded to Poland and Czechia. Many of the villages look completely German, and many are nearly abandoned -- the local population having no "roots" there.
Interesting thanks. It was much easier for the west to travel east of course. Almost impossible for those behind the iron curtain to cross over legally. I went to Poland when I was a kid in the early 70s. Not sure how my father managed it, with him a retired US military officer no less. I have to ask him about it. Warsaw was depressing, just rows of gray concrete commie-block buildings. When we went out to the country, east of Warsaw, it was much different.
I crossed the Intra-German border at least six times in 1987 and 1988 when living in West Germany. Germans generally only did this when transiting to West Berlin. Foreign nationals (I used my US passport) were the more likely candidates for tourism crossings.
The train crossings were more "intense" than the planes to Berlin Tegel. Flying to West Berlin was easy, I recall the routes as Stuttgart, Munich, Hamburg, and Koeln/ Bonn to TXL. Intra-German air traffic was exclusively operated by the victorious powers (Pan Am for the US, BA for the UK. Air France had limited service). No Lufthansa. Aeroflot did not fly to Tegel as far as I remember (but rather to Schoenefeld from Moscow). The prewar airport, Tempelhof had largely ceded Berlin airport dominance in the 1970s.
Via train, like via highway, Westerners were restricted to certain routes, and passports were examined when crossing into East Germany (their agents boarded the train; passengers did not exit until Berlin). I never did the crossing via automobile, but I knew people who did. It was illegal to carry Ostmarks, but they were available for purchase (at around 7 Ostmarks: 1 Deutsche mark) at every bank branch in West Germany. The conversion was done in a "sub rosa" fashion, which I always found amusing considering how upstanding the clerks usually behaved in my local Deutsche Bank.
The only place you could spend the Ostmarks was of course in East Germany, so day trips to East Berlin offered a tourist opportunity. I recall buying the works of Karl Marx in the original German on Unter den Linden. Some of the parts of Berlin that were in East Germany are among the most desirable neighborhoods today, especially in Mitte (like Hackescher Markt) and Prenzlauer Berg. West Germans generally did not cross into East Berlin. I expect partly out of fear for their own freedom.
Even though the country was split for less than 50 years, it was striking how separate the two halves had developed. It's still apparent today, 30 years later. If you want an astonishing contrast, tour the (substantial) parts of prewar Germany awarded to Poland and Czechia. Many of the villages look completely German, and many are nearly abandoned -- the local population having no "roots" there.
Three air access corridors to Berlin for the allied powers were guaranteed by the same treaty that set up the Occupation Zones. This is what allowed the Berlin Airlift when the Soviets cut ground access (surprisingly the ground corridors were not written into the treaty but the air corridors were). So access for American, British, and French aircraft were allowed by treaty but German aircraft were not.
As we all know, in the days when Germany was divided in two, East Germans were not allowed to travel to the West without authorization, and those who attempted to do so and failed were subject to fines and even imprisonment. If memory serves, the government of West Germany considered all Germans potentially its citizens, so those who successfully crossed the border were automatically entitled to be issued a West German passport, at least assuming the person was clearly German. (I'm not sure how they went about that issue.)
My first question is, for East Germans who made it to the West and had been granted West German papers, could they safely return to East Germany, say to visit friends or relatives? If they did so, would they still be in danger of arrest and prosecution by East German authorities for having emigrated without authorization, or did their West German passports protect them?
My second question has to do with the steady westward flow of East Germans, particularly educated professionals, before the borders were locked down. Did the East German authorities make any overtures towards the West about making it less easy for the emigrants on their end? If so, how did the Western authorities respond? Did they say something to the effect that if they treated their people better, not as many would want to leave?
Hi, I can't answer all your questions. However, this is what I know and saw growing up in West Germany with relatives in East Germany. My parents would take us to East Germany by car for vacation when I was a child. Later I traveled with friends.
1. Retirees could legally cross to West Berlin - the communist regime was ok with losing old folks as they "only cost them money". Quite few used this to purchase Western goods and engaged in smuggling. Many East German border guards were in to this and took their cut and let them do business
2. Harassment at border crossing - the East German border guards always examined the car. They didn't seem to car for the trunk full of coffee etc. we brought for our relatives (who must have been the kings of the local black market as they could buy anything with the Western coffee and cigarettes we brought them :-). It was worse on the way back as they were always afraid we would smuggle East Germans out into the west.
They weren't only subject to fine and imprisonment, but subject to getting shot dead for crossing the border. Coming back to E. Germany would face a session with the friendly Stasi and electrodes place on certain body parts, followed by a double tap in the head behind the prison.
Deserting from the republic - the specific crime in question - was not a capital offense in East Germany. Generally, the only eastern European states where this was so were those that built cults of personality around their leaders: Romania, Albania, the USSR under Stalin. On the other hand, there was quite the cult of Tito but Yugoslavia allowed its citizens to emigrate, at least from the 1960s on. Anyway, illegally crossing the border entailed a prison term of a few years. I can only imagine doing hard time in an East German prison was indeed hard time. Of course, as you note, the possibility of a bullet in the back during the escape attempt was very real. Flight was a brave act, and it must have been terrifying.
Note that the penalty for defection by border guards (who were members of the East German Army) was more severe than for civilians. Sometimes a separate charge of treason was added to would-be escapees, though I am not aware of any escapees being executed - though I wouldn't be shocked if it occurred in the first decade or two of the DDR. However, East Germany mostly dispensed with capital punishment after that, and abolished entirely in the 1980s. Also, as the Stasi files demonstrate, the East Germans were compulsive about documenting their oppression. I don't think they did much 'off the books'. One thing they did do was force captured would-be escapees to reenact their escape attempts. Photographs of these reenactments were used as confessions of sort, to give the ensuing trials a veneer of authenticity. It was also part of the way the Stasi studied the means of escape in order to better foil future attempts. I would venture that humiliating people by forcing them to reenact their failed bids for freedom was probably part of the intent as well.
I'm also unaware of any escapees returning, though I imagine it happened now and then. Pressure was often put on remaining family, including incarceration on trumped-up charges (this was informal - not the same as the 'blood guilt' laws of the Third Reich) and I can imagine this possibly compelling some to return.
Not quite the same thing, but I knew a woman from East Berlin who married a Westerner. After jumping through a lot of hoops, the DDR allowed her to leave. She still could freely go back and visit family, but it is not as if she had dodged the landmines to leave,
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