ABSTRACT
The line which has divided Germany and the German nation for over a generation is in East German terms the “State Frontier West” with a special separating purpose to fulfil. The state frontier of the West German Federal Republic, which extends for 1,381 kilometers from the Baltic to the Fichtelgebirge, is also one of the crucial dividing lines between socialism and imperialism in Europe. The deployment of the German Frontier Police to guard the state border in the autumn of 1961 proved to be its decisive test of efficiency as a frontier force. The Frontier Troops, according to the “Military Lexicon”, “include various arms, special troops and services and possess maritime and airborne capabilities appropriate to their requirements”. The “Frontier Security Activists” consist of politically trusted individuals who because of their professional or social standing are particularly suited for checking up on residents of the border areas.
