When Berlin was divided into East and West from 1945 to 1989, Checkpoint Charlie was one of the most famous border crossings. The sense of the Cold War is evident at Checkpoint Charlie. Although the name sounds nice and glamorous, Checkpoint Charlie actually just means Checkpoint "C". It tells the story of a series of spectacular escape attempts from the east to the west, which sadly cost several lives. Checkpoint Charlie was dismantled on 22 June 1990 on the occasion of German reunification.
At the border crossing is a fascinating museum with an extensive collection of pictures, photos, newspaper clippings, films and other items documenting and telling the story of the Berlin Wall and the many attempts to escape over the Wall. It is both exciting and frightening.
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