Checkpoint Charlie - Page 5

MMARSH · MMARSH's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Active duty military were not allowed to drive the "transit road" to the West from Berlin. We were in the "grey zone" as we had full military ID cards but were not on active duty, so could drive to and from.

It was a lot of fun and even did it when going to Denmark heading through areas not normally driven by Westerners. You should have seen the looks I got on a brand new BMW bike when stopping in the rest stops. They had never seen the newer models, and at times it was hard to get going again as they all wanted to look and talk about something that they had only dreamed about. Same way driving the 911 but at least they had seen one of those before!

Joe A

Joe, I was stationed there from 85-88 and drove a rental car into West Berlin on the transit road in 87. Like someone else mentioned you had to get special orders to go and had to attend a special briefing before you could go. We stopped at Checkpoint Alpha and Checkpoint Bravo and had a packet with our orders. They took your mileage when you got to each checkpoint. They also knew how long it would take to get from Alpha to Bravo. You were not to get off the highway under any circumstances and if your car broke down you displayed a placard in the window indicating that. When I went that had the biggest Russian solders there and they all looked like versions of Arnold from that movie Red Heat. They would stand in front of your car as you pulled up to the checkpoint with an arm raised then once you stopped, walked up to the window and with a heavy accent say "your papers"

MMARSH · MMARSH's Garage

Great Photos in this thread. I was Born in Heidelberg, and was stationed Germany from 85-88. Haven't been back since. Hoping to spend some time there before an Edelweiss tour next year.

slodave · slodave's Garage

These were taken by someone that my mom and I met wandering around the Wall. He was nice enough to send a number of his pictures.

Trying to escape to East Berlin?

Nothing was going to stop people from getting a piece of the Wall.

Looking through a hole towards East Berlin.

East German soldiers looking through a hole.

People were selling pieces of the Wall everywhere.

masraum · 06-25-2010, 04:44 AM

Lots of great pics guys, thanks for posting.

Jim727 · 06-25-2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Did you fly for PanAm with the IGS? Know Rick Strand? Forget the other names...

Guilty as charged. The best job I have ever had - or am likely ever to have.

Name is vaguely familiar but names are not my strong point, unfortunately. Sending you a PM link.

Jim727 · 06-25-2010, 02:52 PM

Great pix, Dave. Brings back many memories. I dug around a bit in the slide archives and it really is a walk down memory lane. Unfortunately, my slide scanner is in storage. May have to get it out.

One of the things about this whole thing is that after the wall fell there was a real feeling of hope. So many of the Cold War stresses were lifting that things looked very positive. That sure turned around quickly.

I think Rick, Dave, Joe and myself need to have a get-together. I think we'd actually run out of beer before we ran out of stories.

Jim

Joeaksa · 06-25-2010, 02:56 PM

Just sent you a note. Have some PanAm photos from the old days in Berlin that I will email you.

Jim727 · 06-25-2010, 03:10 PM

You have mail.

scottmandue · 06-25-2010, 03:20 PM

Great pictures and history guys.

Thanks

A tour of the UK and Europe is on my bucket list.

They have beer there right?

Joeaksa · 06-25-2010, 03:47 PM

Ok Jim,

When is the meeting and where? Vegas sometime this summer?

An aside at the next UPM (ultimate Pelican Meet) where-ever its being held?

Lets do it.

Just emailed you BTW.

Joe A

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

We really need to do a UPM. It's not too hot. 110 deg. felt fine yesterday in Phoenix. My 993 a/c ate it up.

Joeaksa · 06-25-2010, 04:15 PM

Rick,

I keep bringing it up and no one does anything so I gave up. Will gladly support any time and place as long as I am not working...

Joe

Joeaksa · 06-25-2010, 04:36 PM

Ok guys, if you REALLY have been to Berlin....

I am going to cheat and hit you with a low blow or two...

I really miss Doner Kebaps, Kuemmerling, and Currywurst. Not to mention a Kindl or two!

Dottore · 06-25-2010, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Ok guys, if you REALLY have been to Berlin....

I am going to cheat and hit you with a low blow or two...

I really miss Doner Kebaps, Kuemmerling, and Currywurst. Not to mention a Kindl or two!

Oh man...! This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Joeaksa · 05:00 PM

And I have Kuemmerling from Berlin here at home... right now!

Do have curry wurst mix, but dammit, doner kebap would have to go to a Greek restaurant and get gyros, its the closest thing I know of here in N. America.

EDIT, I even have Curry Katsup here at the house!

Joeaksa · 06-26-2010, 05:17 PM

Hey guys, remember today.

The Berlin Airlift

62 years ago today, the Berlin Airlift began.

Jim727 · 06-26-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Ok Jim,

When is the meeting and where? Vegas sometime this summer?

An aside at the next UPM (ultimate Pelican Meet) where-ever its being held?

Lets do it.

Just emailed you BTW.

Joe A

I like the idea, work permitting I'd love to make it. Vegas in summer, though? HOT. Ack.

Jim727 · 06-26-2010, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I have a photo of the Frauenkirche I took in 1989. It was a pile of rubble then and unrecognizeable as anything else.

For you guys who are interested in East Germany stuff, the movie Goodbye Lenin is a must see. I mean, drop what you're doing and buy or rent it today. It's that good. I have the DVD, but it's in German. The basic gist is a lady who's a true believer in the old East Germany has a heart attack after seeing the police beat up her son in a protest shortly before the Wall fell. She goes into a coma and, for the several months she's in it, the Wall comes down and the East Germany she knew and loved has disappeared. To keep her from getting stressed after she comes out it, her kids try to recreate the old East Germany in her tiny apartment to the extent of making fake newscasts and steaming labels off old pickle jars. It's one of the alltime best movies out there, more so if you speak German.

Another one is Lives of Others, which is a Stasi drama and gives you feel for what the old East Germany looked and felt like. It's pretty realistic, except that just about no one in it has the right dialect.

If you saw Spy Games, the scene with Brad Pitt in East Berlin gets pretty close to how it was too.

Superb flick - good recommendation.

Joeaksa · 06-26-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim727

I like the idea, work permitting I'd love to make it. Vegas in summer, though? HOT. Ack.

Not all of us live in SoCal!

Vegas is easy to get to for most everyone and affordable.

Besides, everywhere has A/C and who needs to go outside anyway? Tabs knows where to find all the women and spoons already!

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I think I've been to almost every gyro stand in Germany. Best one in the world, hands down, is Glabacher Grill in Bergisch Gladbach. Last time I went to stay with a friend there, I grabbed a gyro before going to my friend's house. When I got there, she said, I hope you're hungry, I was waiting for you so we could go to Gladbacher Grill. So I had seconds.