Culver City,
California
x
Unnamed Archive
Maker: Unknown
Date Made: 1982 or 1987
Country: German Democratic Republic
Materials: photograph paper
Measurements: 9.5 cm x 14 cm; 3 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in
Genre/Form: photograph
President Ronald Reagan visited West Berlin in 1982 and 1987. It is unclear which visit this photograph records. Here, Reagan stands at the white line that marked the division between East and West Germany , looking towards the East, accompanied by a member of the West German Military Police. Officials, security personnel, and a photographer accompany the President. The "Zimmerstraße" street sign is visible in the top left corner of the photograph, which emphasizes that he stands directly on the border by Checkpoint Charlie, which was located at the corner of Zimmerstraße and Friedrichstraße. President Reagan and the MP officer are carefully behind the white line, but the photographer has technically traversed into East Berlin by stepping over the road marking. On the West side, crowds of onlookers are visible in the background. This is not the case on the East side. Both of Reagan’s trips to West Berlin provoked fierce protest, in part due to US policies, and in part due to the general growing dissatisfaction and frustration with a divided city.
Collection/Series: Peter Bochmann Border Guard Collection
Accession Number: 2017.015.007