|
|
The Grenzbrigade Kueste (GBK) deserves attention because of its unique mission enforcing border security measures along 600 kilometers of coastline and the Baltic Sea. The GBK was formed in 1962 when an increasing number of East Germans sought to escape to the West by sea. With the construction of the Berlin Wall the coastal areas offered the best chance for escape. Or at least that's what people thought. Since 1961 almost 5,000 East Germans attempted to flee by the Baltic with only about 10% making it past the patrols to open sea. Although the open seas looked inviting for an escape attempt, between the natural elements and the coastal border patrols it was extremely difficult and dangerous. | |
|
Border guards patrol the coast line. -NVA photo |
The GBK faced two aspects of border control. Its first task was to secure the coastal areas to limit access to the open seas. This required the use of 1,000 soldiers and five border battalions similar in organization to the units deployed along the Landesgrenz. What made this job difficult in comparison to the border area were the thousands of vacationers who flocked to the beach each summer. To help control the crowd the GBK depended on a host of volunteers such as the Grenzhelfers (Border Helpers), Polizei Helfers (Police Helpers), and a variety of party functionaries to help direct traffic and to look for suspicious activity or travelers. The brigade also utilized 38 guard towers equipped with searchlights and radar and employed a special signal intercept tower to monitor ship radio traffic for any suspicious activity. | |
The second aspect of the coastal mission was patrolling the Baltic Sea. To patrol these waters the unit was equipped with 18 mine search vessels, 10 border boats, 6 cutters, and 534 special purpose craft manned by 800 sailors. Each ship was equipped with radar and acoustical devices while two Soviet helicopter gunships patrolled the seas for escapees.
The Volksmarine (East German Navy) initially was the command organization for the GBK, but control of the unit was eventually turned over to the Grenztruppen Command. |
||
| Uniforms of the Grenzbrigade | ||
The sea forces were also aided by laws
that restricted the
hours of swimming, boating, and other water activities near
the
border area. Pleasure
craft were restricted to the hours between sunrise and sunset, while swimmers
could swim or float no further than 150 meters from the coast also between
sunrise and sunset.