Checkpoint Charlie
On 13th August 1961, the GDR began construction of the Berlin Wall. Shortly thereafter, the Allies established Checkpoint Charlie as a border crossing. It was located on Friedrichstraße between the American sector in the west and the Soviet sector in the east. The name “Charlie” originates from the NATO alphabet and stands for the letter “C.” It was used because it was the third American border crossing after Checkpoint Alpha in Helmstedt and Bravo in Dreilinden.
The first wooden guard house, erected on 22nd September 1961, was later rebuilt and replaced several times, most recently in 1987 by a permanent control building. Checkpoint Charlie gained worldwide attention in October 1961 when tanks were put on alert on both sides and war almost broke out. In addition, numerous famous escape attempts, both failed and successful, took place at the border crossing.
Today, Checkpoint Charlie is commemorated at various locations. A replica of the first wooden building has stood on the site of the former border crossing in Friedrichstraße since 2000. The last guard house is on display at the Allied Museum in Berlin-Zehlendorf. The Wall Museum opened near the border crossing in Friedrichstraße as early as 1963 and still reminds visitors of life at the border with numerous exhibits.
Facts
- Location: Friedrichstraße, on the border between the Mitte and Kreuzberg districts, Berlin
- Construction: August/September 1961
- Exhibitions: Allied Museum in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, Wall Museum – Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstraße, open-air exhibition “BlackBox Cold War” on Friedrichstraße
Checkpoint Charlie Souvenir Note
This special souvenir note is dedicated to Checkpoint Charlie. It is printed on genuine security paper and features a gold foil patch, UV color as well as haptic elements. While the obverse depicts the first wooden guard house with two guards and a tank, the reverse shows various significant buildings in Berlin and the iconic East German traffic light figure indicating “Go.” Under UV light, the East German traffic light figure indicating “Wait” and a street sign from Checkpoint Charlie appear on the note.
20 MARK
Obverse: First wooden guard house at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin with two guards, tank, city coat of arms of Berlin
Reverse: Various buildings in Berlin, Berlin bear (heraldic animal of Berlin), East German traffic light symbol
| Dimensions: 145 x 70 mm (5.71 x 2.76 in) Material: Paper |
