History

Armband of a volunteer: "Volunteer of the border troops "

Between 1961 and 1989 the Border Brigade Coast was stationed in Kühlungsborn. For nearly 40 years residents and visitors had to put up with a deterrent control system that should prevent escape attempts. Already far in the interior of the country "suspicious citizens" were watched by police, state security, the authorities and informers.

Millions of tourists who came to the Baltic Sea every year had to spend their holidays under special conditions. Strict laws regulated the swimming activity, the overnight accommodations, the obligatory registration and the use of all kinds of water vehicles.

Destination of the escapee was the coast of Schleswig-Holstein and of Denmark which was 40 km away. 38 escape attempts from Kühlungsborn are described. 15 people reached the other shore. An unknown number of people died while escaping. A lot of people were actually already picked up before they reached the water.

Escape routes from Kühlungsborn (among them as well failures)

Already far in the interior of the country "suspicious" citizens were watched by police, state security, the authorities and informers. The spacious frontier protection system marked the landscape of the Baltic coast. From over 27 places of observation border soldiers of the "Border Brigade Coast" kept the coastline and the Baltic Sea under surveillance. They were supported by volunteers.

Coat of arms of the "Border Brigade Coast"

Border patrol boat

The naval surveillance of the national 3-mile-zone was taken on by boats of the type "MSR" (mine hunter and mine-sweeper) which searched a specific area at dawn and at night for escapees. The Border Brigade Coast had control over the complete sea traffic along the GDR national border. A coastal patrol vessel of the People's Navy was stationed on outpost in the Fehmarnbelt area