Steinstücken

Memorial Steinstücken, 14109 Berlin

A small enclave of around 200 inhabitants, Steinstücken is the southern most territory of Berlin, in Wannsee. For a time its border was made up of only barbed wire, and was the point of many escape attempts. A permanent border wall was erected here after 20 East German border guards escaped to the West.
Nearby: a “helicopter memorial” commemorates the regular flying in of troops by helicopter

The enclave’s vulnerability became an international incident in 1951 when East German police briefly occupied it, prompting a US military response. For years, the only access to Steinstücken was by a narrow corridor closely guarded by East German forces. The United States Army regularly flew troops into the enclave by helicopter to demonstrate Allied resolve, and President Kennedy personally intervened in 1961, ordering that Steinstücken be protected as part of West Berlin.

Steinstücken railway line to rest of West Berlin 1987 (Photo: Jochims)

For years, the only access to Steinstücken was by a narrow corridor closely guarded by East German forces. The United States Army regularly flew troops into the enclave by helicopter to demonstrate Allied resolve, and a “helicopter memorial” near the enclave commemorates these flights. President Kennedy personally intervened in 1961, ordering that Steinstücken be protected as part of West Berlin.

In 1972, a land-swap agreement between the two German states secured a permanent road connection to Steinstücken, ending its isolation. Today the enclave is a quiet residential neighbourhood with little visible trace of the wall, though information boards mark the former border route.