Central (C): Germany (CG). Incidents Along Demarcation Line

A file of correspondence and legal material concerning the Berlin border. The documents discuss an incident in which East German border guards fired shots across the River Elbe at a West German border patrol; and a protest raised by the British Military Government in West Berlin to the Soviet military mission in East Berlin regarding this event. The documents also cover the East German government's reinforcement of both the inter-Berlin and inter-German borders, with the construction of large double-fenced areas and the laying of over 250 kilometres of minefields. Other documents include a copy of three decrees published by the East German government regarding "measures for the defence of the State frontier between the D.D.R. and West Berlin", which introduces a variety of punishments for crimes including entering the border area without permission, photography in the border area, and illegally passing reports or objects across the border.