Interview with an East German Border Guard (373)

Cold War Conversations

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 9 November 2024

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today is the 35th anniversary of the Berlin Wall and East German border opening in the autumn of 1989. In this riveting episode, I speak with Dietmar Schultke, a member of the Grenztruppen, the East German Border Guards and delve into the life of those responsible for preventing escapes over the Berlin Wall and the East German Border. Dietmar opens up about his life in the GDR, sharing personal stories of his recruitment into the border troops, the rigorous training he endured, and the psychological pressures he faced during his service. Training in Eisenach prepared him for a potential third World War, with exercises in sharpshooting, combat, and gas mask drills. The psychological toll of such training was immense, as soldiers were constantly under surveillance, with one in ten being a Stasi informant. The cultural impact of the time was not lost on Dietmar. He vividly recalls attending a Bruce Springsteen concert in East Berlin, an event that felt like a taste of freedom amidst the oppressive regime. The concert was a beacon of hope, yet, the return to the border was a stark reminder of the barriers that still existed. Episode extras including links and videos here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode373/ Guarding the Wall Podcast https://royalarmouries.org/objects-and-stories/stories/guarding-the-berlin-wall Dietmar's web site https://www.dietmar-schultke.de The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:05.9	Timothy Shalame is Bob Dylan and a complete unknown.
0:09.4	If anyone who's going to hold your attention on the state, you have to kind of be a freak.
0:13.9	Critics agree it's outstanding on every level. Five stars.
0:19.1	Shalemay is a revelation.
0:20.8	What do you want to be?
0:21.9	Whatever it is, they don't want me to be.
0:23.8	Now nominated for the Golden Globes for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor,
0:28.0	Edward Norton.
0:29.3	A complete unknown.
0:30.6	Ladies and gentlemen, Bob Bill!
0:32.4	In cinemas, January 17, rated 15.
0:35.8	After the call to stand still, we were then supposed to shot once into the air, and if the
0:46.3	refugee had continued running, we were supposed to aim at either the feet or arms.
1:04.4	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to firsthand Cold War history accounts.
1:10.6	Do make sure you follow us in your podcast app so that you don't miss out on future episodes.
1:11.6	Today is the 35th anniversary of the opening of the Berlin Wall and East German border in the autumn of 1989.
1:19.6	In this riveting episode I speak with Dietmar Schultke, a member of the Grenzstripen, the East German Border Guards. Deepmar opens up about his life in the GDR, sharing personal stories of his recruitment
1:32.3	into the border troops, the rigorous training he endured and the psychological pressures he faced during his service.
1:38.3	Soldiers were constantly under surveillance, with one in ten being a Stasi informant.
1:48.0	The cultural impact of the time was not lost on Deepmar.
1:52.2	He vividly recalls attending the Bruce Springsteen concert in East Berlin.
	...

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