European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 6, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                One of the sit East German observation towers built along the German b Synovec Nurnberg Bureau chief any soldiers arrive Here thinking that taking a tour of the Border is just a Day off from but by the time they finish the arc impressed and understand Why they have been assigned to the speaker was Joseph West of the 2nd army Cav one of three 2nd Artand regt cos wow Host the Vii corps Border orientation Treyve heard about the and maybe some of them have read a Tittle bit about in but this la the first time Treyve actually seen and after Treyve seen most of them say dial they would like to tear that Barrier said people who arrive at Camp Hof by bus for a tour of the Border receive a minute briefing about the then they take a Lour of the the East germans have the tightest controlled Border in the West the communist regime has spent million per mile on its fortified Barrier with West and has assigned men to guard the 835mile Long Border that separates the two German West the Border is a Stark and ugly line thai through the rolling German crop one of six Border manned by of the is about five Miles from the East German near the area where West East Germany and Czechoslovakia the vol corps orientation program focuses on East Germany and its Barrier american servicemen and to bar dependents Are not allowed to approach within one Kilometre of toe Border and the army has posted numerous signs warning americans that they Are approaching the Border end must turn the hosts take visitors up to the Border and Lei them get of tour Baks Oul graph the visitors Are wanted not to yell or make gestures at the stolid East German Border guards who keep a close watch or them from their towers and bunk ers a few Yards James Coic of the Tow said that from March uts to May mire toured we average three Tours a seven Days a said school children and representatives from other nato armies also Uke the visitors Are Able to see and photograph ithe steel mesh Fence that is replacing the older barbed wire Fence the length of the the steel mesh Fence offers no space for Finger or toe holds to said a said owl about 60 Par cent of the Border has been mines by the East headed that portions of toe new steel Fence Are equipped with deadly Antis caking devices sort of Short barrelled shotguns attached to the Fence at various they Are activated either by trip wires or the Border a Hui triggered they fire jagged pieces of Metal along the Fence last West when was a seven about Iso Shotgun devices were set Oft by the that Bow sensitive they the Shotgun devices Are installed about every u West said the East germans have erected 890 bunkers and and s27 observation towers atone their Side of the More recently they have added an electronic signal Fence to the top of the Sloe mesh West said the Bast germans also use a Concrete Fence in places along the Border where Large numbers of people live and employ searchlights along portions of the he said Lite East German Border command uses get dogs at 440 different locations along their Side of the Border to provide an additional alarm they use tracker dogs As Well As killer West he added that one of the major differences Between the East German and czechoslovakian Borders is that the Border is not even though the czech system uses electronic signalling systems attached to their barbed wire seeing is thais Why we fee our Border orientation program is so no one has Ever been shot by our Side because they were trying to go the other said its can in Movic group of touring ols get a firsthand look at a Section of the 835mile East West German july 1977 the stars and stripes Poge 13