Stefan Beyer

Die Online-Ausgabe der Deutschen Welle (DW-World.de) spricht in einem Interview mit Dr. Peter Zahn, heute Leiter des Rechenzentrums der Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig, über seine Zeit als Grenzer der NVA. 1968-69 leistete Zahn seinen 18-monatigen DDR-Wehrdienst ab, und wurde in dieser Zeit sechs Monate als Grenzsoldat bei Geisa in der Rhön eingesetzt – einem Ort in unmittelbarer Nähe zum US-Beobachtungsstützpunkt “Point Alpha” auf BRD-Seite.

“Although we never had to use our firearms against escapees, at least while I was there, the Geisa area was the hottest point during the Cold War. It was assumed that, in the case of war, the Warsaw Pact states would launch an attack from this area.
[...]
At the same time it was strange. The idea of shooting at other people was simply unthinkable. The refugees were often young people who didn’t know what consequences their actions had on their families, for example, and couldn’t be considered guilty. I think everyone in our company felt the same way and — thank God — we were never put in such a situation.

Our part of the border was a paradox, really. In contrast to its supposed geo-strategic significance, which we didn’t grasp at all then, things were relatively quiet. It can’t be compared with the situation at the Berlin Wall, where border troops were often faced with the decision to fire on escapees.”

Das komplette Interview, in englischer Sprache: DW-World.de: “We Were Told to Stop Trespassing at All Costs”.