Grenztruppen der DDR

The Grenztruppen der DDR, or East German Border Troops, were a military force responsible for securing the border between East Germany and West Germany during the Cold War. Their main role was to prevent unauthorized crossings and to maintain the division of Berlin. Equipped with patrols, watchtowers, and barbed wire, they enforced strict border policies under Communist control. Their presence symbolized the physical and political divide in Europe, and they operated with high discipline to deter escapes. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the border troops were gradually disbanded as East Germany transitioned toward reunification with West Germany.