| The first
minefields on the East German border began to appear in the early 1960s
as East Germany began fortifying its border after the
building of the Berlin Wall.
As
East German engineers emplaced the
first minefields, they utilized the Soviet
wooden encased PMD-6, but after long periods of service the wooden
housing rotted away rendering the mine useless. According to one
observer near the West German border town of Phillipsthall, an estimated
two refugees a month in 1968
crossed through the rotting minefields unharmed.1 As a
result the antiquated anti-personnel booby-traps were eventually
replaced with modern plastic mines; the PMN-6 and PMP-71. These devices
were eventually replaced by the PMP-2 which was the last landmine to be
employed on the East German border.
In some cases, the engineers first had to clear existing minefields before before laying the new mines. Once this time consuming process was completed, the engineers set the new devices in a zigzag pattern about 1.5 meters apart from each other in two or three belts either by hand or using a mine layer.2 Placement in the right terrain was critical, because in some areas heavy rains could expose the mines or wash them away. One American engineer recalled that in 1978, his unit was called out to assist West German agencies search for wayward East German mines that had washed across the border into West Germany. Rain, though, wasn't the only problem for the engineers. Sometimes a heavy freeze would force the mines to the surface or animals would wander into the minefields detonating the devices. Between weather, wildlife, and new technology, up keeping and updating the border minefields kept the East German engineers busy. Following are the general times the minefields were emplaced or updated:
Although laying minefields was hazardous, there was one hazard the East Germans did not anticipate. On at least one occasion a daring and enterprising West German citizen scaled the border fence at the site of a minefield that was under construction and stole PMP-71 land mines out of a crate while the work site was unattended. He then attempted to sell the mines once he was back on West German soil, but the ever vigilant West German police discovered the plan and ended his business venture.3 1 David Shears, Die haesliche Grenze, (Stuttgart: Seewald Verlag, 1970), p.57 2 Ibid. 3 Interview with Franz, Bavarian Border Police, Mellrichstadt, Federal Republic of Germany, 28 Feb 1986. |
NVA engineers laying anti-tank mines - NVA photo |
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Engineers standing by a crate of mines (circa 1978) . |
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Engineers carrying PMN-6 mines to the minefields |
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A mine layer 1983. - 2/11 ACR photo |
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Engineer with a PMP-71 mine |
