Checkpoint Charlie Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie was one of the most famous border crossings between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. American and Soviet military personnel stood on both sides of the checkpoint. It was active from 1961 to 1990 and became a symbol of Berlin's division.

Checkpoint Charlie received its name as part of the NATO phonetic alphabet used to designate checkpoints between West Berlin and East Berlin. Each checkpoint was designated with a letter and a name to distinguish them. The letter "C" in the NATO alphabet stood for "Charlie." Therefore, the checkpoint located on Friedrichstrasse between East and West Berlin was named "Checkpoint Charlie." It was one of the three main crossing points between the two parts of the city during the division and became a symbol of the division between the Soviet Union (East) and Western democratic countries (West) during the Cold War.

On August 13, 1961, a significant event occurred in Berlin's history that left an indelible mark. On this day, the Berlin Wall was built, dividing the capital of Germany and restricting the free movement of citizens between East Germany and West Germany. Initially, it was a temporary wire barrier, but it later became a concrete structure and, by 1970, had evolved into a formidable barricade. It included two concrete walls, guard towers with armed personnel, anti-tank obstacles, minefields, areas with sharp spikes, and control and observation zones. Checkpoint Charlie became the most famous, and an incident with tanks occurred on its premises in 1961.

On October 27, 1961, the American side attempted to breach the wall by sending a convoy of military vehicles, including tanks, bulldozers, and jeeps, toward Checkpoint Charlie. However, Soviet tanks took to the streets and blocked the American vehicles. The night was filled with tension, and the world stood on the brink of a Third World War. Only through negotiations between Khrushchev and Kennedy was the conflict resolved.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie was closed. Today, a sign remains at the site, reminding visitors of the border, and "American soldiers" (so-called) issue "visas" to tourists as a memento of the Cold War era. Nearby, there is a small section of the Berlin Wall, a photo exhibition, and the Berlin Wall Museum, where you can learn about the history of divided Germany from 1961 to 1989.