Some memories in a basement box
Translation (Google Translate): “Transit visa for a single trip through the territory of the German Democratic Republic via the border crossing points approved for transit traffic on the prescribed traffic routes and the shortest route
During the transit, a change of the means of transport is only permitted with the consent of the responsible organs of the GDR. In inland shipping, the transit visa entitles you to go ashore at the approved locations.”
During the Summer of 1988, I was exceedingly lucky to go to Germany for a six week youth exchange camp through the Lions Club in my hometown. And during that trip, we spent a week in West Berlin.
Yes, kids. There was a period from 1945 until 1990 when Berlin was split into a West and an East. Germany itself was split into West and East portions as well. It was politics, and stubbornness, and all kinds of craziness. There was even a very serious Wall in Berlin.
But, back to the point: the visa above was issued by some rather officious East German soldiers on the train we took from Hamburg to West Berlin. I recall three of them, each carrying machine guns, and issuing these visas to all the “westerners” in our group.
The train went almost directly (without stopping) from Hamburg to West Berlin, and our guide reminded us that East Germany was no joke. Don’t open the windows. Don’t throw anything out the windows. Don’t take pictures, etc. (I did take a picture of the desolation. It was late June, but the countryside looked rather barren and neglected.)
The historians among you may recall that East Germany (the DDR or German Democratic Republic) ceased to exist in October of 1990, during what they called a Reunification.
I was very lucky to visit the DDR, and West (and East) Berlin, during its relatively short life. I even got to hold some of its aluminum coins in my hand, and buy a DDR flag at a multi-story department store. Ah, good times. It’s kinda strange to find such an artifact in the stuff that I’m decluttering. There is NO value in the actual document so far as I am concerned, but here’s a picture for you to see!