Take a look at Patrol ops

To effectively deter East German citizens from escaping, the Grenztruppen used a variety of patrol methods to watch over the restricted zones of the border area. These methods and patrols served several purposes:

To deter, detect and arrest violators of the restricted zones
To prevent citizens, work details and fellow border guards from escaping
To gather intelligence on West German border agencies and NATO
To gather domestic intelligence on inhabitants of the restricted zones
To check on the maintenance and operability of the border markers and fortifications

So effective were their security and patrolling techniques, that only a handful of people were able to escape through the minefields and over the fences of the Landesgrenz. Still, despite the constant surveillance and systematic patrols of the Grenztruppen, courageous individuals as well as entire families were willing to brave the minefields and gunfire and make an adrenaline filled dash over the border to freedom. The following pages detail how the Grenztruppen prowled the border making any escape attempt a dangerous and possibly deadly venture.