Culver City,
California
x
Unnamed Archive
Maker: Unknown
Date Made: 1961 or after
Country: West Germany
Materials: photograph paper
Measurements: 17.5 cm x 23 cm; 6 7/8 in x 9 1/16 in
Language: German
Genre/Form: photograph
A black and white photograph shows four US tanks stationed at the border between the American and Soviet sectors in Berlin, at the junction of Zimmerstraße and Friedrichstraße , the location of Checkpoint Charlie. The tanks are manned by US soldiers in full military gear. Friedrichstraße is lined with onlookers: soldiers, members of the public, officials, journalists, and photographers. Men dressed in suits stand next to soldiers, and the atmosphere seems tense. A clock face displays the time as 5:25, presumably 5:25 PM. In West Berlin, the photograph shows thriving businesses, such as a pharmacy and a stationary store. In contrast, the East side of the border appears largely desolate and empty. Although no tanks are visible on the Soviet side of the border, it is nevertheless likely that this photograph is related to the US/Soviet tank stand-off that occurred between the 27th and 28th of October, 1961. Known as the Berlin Crisis of 1961, this event was the pinnacle of tensions between US and Soviet powers in Berlin after World War II and it sent shockwaves across the world. The tank stand-off was an assertion of military power, and was intended as an act of intimidation by both sides. Fortunately, the confrontation was dissolved by the withdrawal of Soviet tanks, thus reaffirming the rights of Allied diplomats and military personnel to freely cross between West and East Berlin.
Collection/Series: Peter Bochmann Border Guard Collection
Accession Number: 2017.015.020