Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin

Checkpoint Charlie marks a former Berlin Wall crossing, and this place became a symbol of the Cold War’s division between East and West. The crossing operated from 1961 to 1990, linking the Soviet and American sectors along Friedrichstraße. The Western Allies created it in August and September 1961 after the Wall was built, so their military personnel could still pass the sector boundary under registration and instruction.

Its name comes from the letter C in the NATO phonetic alphabet, following the pattern of Checkpoint Alpha and Checkpoint Bravo. The most dangerous moment came on 27 October 1961, when Soviet and American tanks faced each other here, ready for combat. This was also a place of attempted escape.

Peter Fechter was shot while trying to flee on 17 August 1962; he died near the crossing in view of observers from the western side. The original Allied guardhouse is now displayed at the Allied Museum. What you see here is a faithful replica of the earliest guardhouse, unveiled on 13 August 2000. Along Zimmerstraße, paving stones trace the former Wall’s route, while the open-air displays recount escapes, the crossing’s expansion, and the confrontation between the rival powers.