On This Day: August 13
East German Troops Seal Border With West Berlin to Block Refugee Escape
Commuting Ended
Warsaw Pact States Say Allies' Routes Remain Open
By REUTERS
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East German troops stood guard at the Brandenburg Gate, main crossing point between the Eastern and Western sectors.
The East Berlin City Government banned its citizens from holding jobs in the Western part of the divided city. This will affect tomorrow the thousands of East Berliners who daily commute to work in the Western sector.
The Communists' orders do not affect the Western Allies' access routes to Berlin along the 110-mile passage from West Germany. Especially they do not affect Allied military trains, which are under Soviet jurisdiction.
Action Comes in Night
The quietness of East Berlin's deserted streets was shattered in the early hours of the morning by the screaming of police sirens as police cars, motorcycles and truckloads of police sped through the city.
The action came shortly after publication of a declaration by the Communist Warsaw Pact states that effective controls must be put into force on the borders of West Berlin because of a "perfidious agitation campaign" by the West.
The declaration made it clear these measures were directed at stopping the flow of refugees from East to West through West Berlin. The flow of refugees has recently been reaching 1,700 daily. From 4 P.M. Friday, to 6 P.M. yesterday, 2,662 new arrivals registered in West Berlin's reception camp.
Subways Are Closed
The East Berlin order barring commuters from reaching their jobs in West Berlin said that no East German could cross into the western sector of the city unless he had "a special certificate."
The orders would stand "as long as West Berlin is not changed into a neutral demilitarized free city," the East Germans said.
Elevated trains and subways between the two halves of the divided city were closed; a railroad policeman said he did not know how long the shutdown was for.
The Warsaw Pact declaration was published by the East German press agency A.D.N., but the East German radio, which was broadcasting a late-night jazz program, did not immediately mention it.
The declaration admitted that the proposed measure would "create certain discomforts for the population," but said the blame for this rested squarely on the West.
"Naturally these measures will not affect the valid conditions for traffic and control on the connection routes between West Berlin and West Germany," it added.
The necessity for these "protective measures" would cease to exist as soon as a peace treaty with Germany was signed and "question of strike resolved on this basis," the statement added.
The Warsaw Pact states are the Soviet Union, East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Albania. A week ago, ending a meeting in Moscow they issued a call for a German peace treaty soon. Shortly after 3 A.M., a Reuters reporter who tried to drive through the Brandenburg Gate from East Berlin was told by a policeman: "You are not allowed to go through- we received instructions to this effect about an hour ago."
The closing of the border came after East Berliners had waited nervously yesterday for the Iron Curtain to ring down on refugees escape routes to the West.
Warsaw Pact Statement
The Warsaw Pact powers declaration accused the Western Powers and West Germany of "missing the present traffic position on the West Berlin border to disrupt the economy of the (East) German Democratic Republic."
"In view of the aggressive efforts of the reactionary force of the (West German) Federal Republic and its NATO allies, the declaration said, "the Warsaw Pact states cannot avoid taking the necessary measures themselves to guarantee their safety and above all the safety of the German Democratic Republic.
"The Governments of the Warsaw Pact states the appeal to the People's Chamber (Legislature) and Government of the German Democratic Republic to all workers of the G.D.R. with the proposal to introduce such an order on the West Berlin border that the way is stopped for the agitation campaign against the G.D.R. and a trustworthy guard and effective control be guaranteed around the whole territory of Western Berlin, including its borders with the G.D.R.
"Naturally these measures will not affect the valid conditions for traffic and control on the connection routes between West Berlin and West Germany.
"The Government of the Warsaw Pact states naturally understand that the taking of protective measures on the borders of West Berlin will create certain discomforts for the population. But in view of the existing position the blame for this must be taken exclusively by the Western powers and above all by the Government of the (West German) Federal Republic."
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| O que eu já publiquei a respeito, neste blog: |
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e ...
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Elaborei um artigo sobre a questão:
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Paulo Roberto de Almeida
Um outro mundo possível: alternativas históricas da Alemanha, antes e depois do muro de Berlim, neste link.
Paulo Roberto de Almeida
(tem mais: basta colocar Muro de Berlim no instrumento de busca do blog)
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