As the Berlin Wall fell, opportunities arose. Peter R Foster details several visits to the former German Democratic Republic shortly after the reunification of Germany
It seems incredible that it is more than 30 years since the Berlin Wall, so hated as a symbol of the Cold War, came tumbling down, taking Europe from a place of continuous tension to one of unity and relative peace. That is, until last year, when the old Soviet rumbling of domination reared its ugly head once more.
In 1989, I and many other aviation enthusiasts – or, at least, those with an adventurous spirit – began exploring the possibility of stepping over the now fallen Iron Curtain and travelling east of Frankfurt. This was an opportunity not to be missed.
Even though the Wall had been brought down and would lead to a reunifying of Germanies east and west, we in the UK still required a visa to visit the old German Democratic Republic. However, that didn’t quell my desire to explore what once lay behind the Iron Curtain.
So began a series of letters to the East German consulate for permission to enter the country and visit several bases belonging to its then still formidable air force. After almost six months of badgering, I finally gained permission and with…
