Following the construction of the Berlin Wall on 13 August, 1961 some travel was still needed between the two parts of Berlin. The most famous and third checkpoint to be created, after checkpoint Alpha at Helmstedt and Bravo at Dreilinden, was at Friedrichstrasse and was designated ‘Charlie’ in correspondence with the phonetic alphabet.

The Cold War Years

Checkpoint Charlie provided the main crossing point for officials, dignitaries and foreigners between the east and west sides of Berlin. Access to the east part of the city was fairly easy for western diplomats and military personnel, who could not officially be checked under post-war agreements. Foreigners, while often subject to many delays, checks and searches, were also granted access but mainly for the money they brought into East Berlin. West Berliners were not allowed access at all until 1963 and even then there were severe restrictions. A new Traffic Agreement in October 1972 rectified the matter somewhat but the new visa application process was still far from a simple matter. While access for east Berliners to the west of the city was theoretically possible in remained for most a very unlikely event.

The checkpoint consisted of a guardhouse and, after some initial incidents, two strong bars to stop any unauthorised crossings by vehicles. There were also two signs (the words on each readable in four different languages: German, English, Russian and French). From west to east it reads

YOU ARE LEAVING THE AMERICAN SECTOR

While east to west it reads

YOU ARE ENTERING THE AMERICAN SECTOR
CARRYING WEAPONS OFF DUTY FORBIDDEN
OBEY TRAFFIC RULES

Many see checkpoint Charlie as one of the main focal points of tension during the Cold War in Berlin. It was the scene of a stand off between American and Soviet tanks in October 1961, the site of failed attempts of many would be escapees and was visited by both Kennedy and Khrushchev. It also achieved infamy through its place in film, such as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, as well as making appearances in numerous novels (mainly but not exclusively spy fiction). The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 only brought with it a temporary end to the usefulness of Checkpoint Charlie.

The Tourist Years

The real Checkpoint Charlie was in fact moved to the Allied Museum in 1990 only to be replaced by a replica hut and sign in the year 2000. It now makes up one of the main staples of a tourist’s sightseeing diet in Berlin with there occasionally being people employed to stand there as mock guards. If you have no interest in the historical significance of the sight it can seem slightly under whelming and the many tourist orientated shops surrounding it, which sell nothing of use but overpriced ice cream, fairly annoying. While there are also a large amount of costly cafés in the surrounding area if you require food then this researcher would recommend you try the more inventively named, and more reasonably priced, 'Checkpoint Curry'. Located near Friedrichstrasse train station it sells traditional German fare including bratwurst, currywurst and pommes (chips).

Next door to the replica Checkpoint Charlie is ‘Haus am Checkpoint Charlie’, a privately owned museum dedicated to the subject. Rather than focus on any historical role Checkpoint Charlie or the Berlin Wall might have played in the history of Berlin the museum concentrates on true-life stories of the separation of friends and family and their eventual reunification. While this may not appeal to all people it does it all in German, English, Russian and French.