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Freedom, barriers and Eastern Europe
Can we still answer the questions those borders asked?
Traveling through Eastern Europe in 2019, we crossed from Austria into what used to be part of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (CSSR). We saw the Cold War remnants of barbed wire fencing, guard towers, strong posts, and a grassy corridor. Our driver informed us that this corridor had been patrolled to prevent people from crossing into Western Europe. That was the purpose of the “iron curtain”.
I asked the man why the barbed wire was still there. He said, “So we never forget.”
What is it that he never wanted to forget?
According to CSSR officials, the barriers that separated east from west were to keep people out of their country. Spies, for example.
But what do the numbers say? It seems the attempted movement of people was overwhelmingly from east to west. I couldn’t find exact figures for the CSSR, but I did find some for Germany.
Over 100,000 people tried to escape East Germany from 1961 to 1988. Of these, over 600 died. Most were shot by border guards. Some suffered fatal accidents in their attempts to leave. Others killed themselves when they were captured by the guards.
