European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 4, 1959, Darmstadt, Hesse The Helmstedt Beith run /. Patience is a prime qualification for Drivers hauling loads through communist checkpoints by Ernie Weatherall staff writer autobahn zonal checkpoints Are mad for sleeping any truck Driver hauling cargo Between West Germany and West Berlin will Tell a typical Driver Well Call Werner Klotzz for example. He has been guiding Highway monsters Between Hamburg and Berlin for the past eight years. Werner figures during that time he has spent six months sleeping at East German Check Points waiting to drive the 110 Miles through the soviet Werner kisses his wife goodbye in Hamburg he can never Tell for sure when he will return from the Berlin starting out on his Uncertain journey Werner checks with the dispatcher whether trucks Are moving through the communist checkpoints that Day or whether the reds Are getting Nasty. Just in Case there s a Long wait Werner and his assistant Driver bring along a. Small Camp stove some Coffee and a football to help them fight boredom Dur ing the Long the last info to the German version of our Greasy spoon Roadside diners Werner always checks with Drivers return ing from Berlin for the latest intelligence at the zonal the news is bad. Like on Good Friday the beginning of the four Day easter Holiday when it seems As if every one in West Germany drives to West Berlin for a visit with Only did the Volos East German police fail to add More cops to handle the deluge of traffic but they added to the confusion by harassing West German held Many of them up on silly technicalities which they often do to show their authority. Cars and trucks were lined up for eight was 10 hours waiting Werner said. I spent the Day talking with other Drivers or playing football. My assistant Driver and i cooked our meals on the Camp we sat in our trucks and read until it became dark then went to sleep. Each time a truck would move ahead ten feet or so we would Wake up and crawl into the space during Normal clays if Werner arrives Early in the Day he can wheel his High Way giant through the communist Check Point in an hour if he s Lucky. When we pull into the customs we show them our Manifest he explained. Then they take a Quick look through the truck or make a Check of one bundle then we Are on our the privilege of using the East German autobahn the communists slap a heavy toll on West German trucks. Werner pays about 50 West Marks to bring his cargo through the soviet zone. After eight years of dealing with unpredictable East German Border guards Werner is an expert on checkpoint diplomacy. He smiles. Makes Small talk. Offers a cig Aret. Sprinkles his conversation with yes sir and no even when the East German cop is a teen Ager As Many of them Are in an oversized uniform. Werner knows that a surly answer or a hard look from the truck Driver and the communist cop will say drive Over to that platform and unload everything from your truck and once safely passed Helmstedt or Mari Fri Horn As the communist checkpoint is August 4, 1959 f he stars and stripes called there is the Volo Highway patrol to worry about. If they Stop you it is Best just to listen politely and smile Werner explained. Sometimes All they really want is a West German cig Aret. Sometimes the Boss Volo wants to show off to his on several occasions in the True tradition of the knights of the Highway Werner has picked up distress messages from stalled american Drivers. He passe them to the military police at the Allied checkpoint. The communist checkpoint at babes Berg just outside West Berlin is the one Werner hates it has the largest anti West Ern propaganda posters the loudest loud speakers constantly proclaiming the Vir tues of communism and the meanest Volos on the autobahn. On the late night shift there Are women police Werner pointed out. They look like circus wrestlers and they hate All West German truck was one place where Werner s Charm failed him. Even his widest smile in which three of his Gold Teeth come into t melt the to be Nasty they made us unload everything from my truck and trailer he recalled. It was a specially crated cargo and we had to break each Box the time the women were laughing it bit of harassment delayed Werner and his cargo for nine hours. Not to men Tion of , the amount of sweat i took when lie and his assistant unloaded and reloaded the heavy cargo then after a Layover in West Berlin Werner is ready to make the return trip. And again the questions Are How is the checkpoint at Gabelsberg Are they going through How Long is the line the talk of another blockade amuses Werner and the other Drivers who bring in cargo Over one of West Berlin s fragile Supply lines As far As we Are concerned the Berlin blockade of 10 years ago has never been completely lifted he says. Page 11
