Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin
Checkpoint Charlie was the name given by the Western Allies to a crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War, located at the junction of Friedrichstraße with Zimmerstraße and Mauerstraße (which coincidentally means ‘Wall Street’). It is in the Friedrichstadt neighborhood, which was divided by the Berlin Wall. Many other sector crossing points existed in Berlin. Some of these were designated for residents of West Berlin and West German citizens. Checkpoint Charlie was designated as the single crossing point (by foot or by car) for foreigners and members of the Allied forces. (Members of the Allied forces were not allowed to use the other sector crossing point designated for use by foreigners, the Friedrichstraße railway station.) The name Charlie came for the letter C in the NATO phonetic alphabet; similarly for other Allied checkpoints on the Autobahn to the West: Checkpoint Alpha at Helmstedt and Checkpoint Bravo at Dreilinden, southeast of Wannsee. The Soviets simply called it the Friedrichstraße Crossing Point. The East Germans officially referred to Checkpoint Charlie as the Grenzübergangsstelle (”Border Crossing Point”) Friedrich-/Zimmerstraße.
Checkpoint Charlie became a symbol of the Cold War, representing the separation of east and west, and — for some East Germans — a gateway to freedom. It is frequently featured in spy movies and books. The famous cafe and viewing point for Allied officials, Armed Forces and visitors alike, Cafe Adler (”Cafe Eagle”), is situated right on the checkpoint. It was an excellent viewing point to look into East Berlin, whilst having something to eat and drink. Berlin today is great multicultural city with lots of tourist attractions. You can easily travel to Berlin by car, travel trailer or plane. Think of it as your summer holiday destination.
Exact location of tourist attraction: 52° 30′ 27″ N, 13° 23′ 24.97″ E
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