Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume X, Eastern Europe

301. Telegram From the Mission in West Berlin to the Department of State and the Embassy in the Federal Republic of Germany¹

4022.

West Berlin, December 11, 1987, 1534Z

SUBJECT

• Has the GDR Lifted the “Schiessbefehl”?

1. Summary: According to an article in the December 10 International Herald Tribune by Washington Post writer Robert J. McCartney, “West German officials and Western diplomats say” that the “shoot-to-kill” order by the Berlin Wall and the German border has been lifted. Mission notes that five shooting incidents, at least three of which were connected to confirmed escape attempts and were protested by allied commandants, have taken place along the Wall in Berlin since July 21. End comment.

2. McCartney quotes GDR officials interviewed last week in East Berlin as hinting indirectly that the “Schiessbefehl” has been curtailed. According to Western analysts, he writes, “The policy shift was designed in part to help pave the way for additional trips by Mr. Honecker to major Western countries.”

3. In fact, there have been five confirmed shooting incidents in Berlin reported by the Mission since July 21. There were no incidents between May 15 and July 21, and three shooting incidents May 1–15 this year. Incidents since July 21 are as follows:

• July 21. At 2:15 a.m. West Berlin residents reported activation of an alarm device in a GDR guard tower followed by two shots. Police responding found evidence of an intensive search by border guards. (USBer 2542)²

• August 3. Three young men successfully escaped from the GDR to West Berlin. At least four shots were fired, apparently from an automatic weapon. There were no injuries. Allied commandants protested the use of force. (USBer 2738)³

• August 8. A U.S. Military Police patrol in the U.S. sector heard gunfire on the GDR side of the Wall. On checking, the patrol observed GDR border guards conducting a search of the area. (USBer 2826)⁴

• August 18. West Berlin police and customs officers at the Sonnenallee sector/sector crossing point heard dogs barking and three shots fired on the East Berlin side of the checkpoint area. Observation revealed a person being led away by border guards. Allied commandants protested the use of force. (USBer 2879)⁵

• October 29. Two young men scaled the wall between the GDR and the U.S. sector. One escaped and the second was caught. The escapee claimed hearing rounds chambered and at least two shots fired. Residents confirmed hearing the two shots. Allied commandants protested the use of force. (USBer 3656)⁶

4. Comments: If indeed the “Schiessbefehl” has been lifted, not all GDR border guards have obeyed their new orders in recent months. It is difficult to guess exactly what orders guards now have from recent events along the Wall in West Berlin. There have been several recent instances, involving both successful and unsuccessful escapes, where guards have foregone clear opportunities to fire upon escapees. There have also been no cases since USBer, (see 1791)⁷ of possible killing or wounding of escapees by GDR fire. Our conclusion is that an escapee since June 1987 was less likely to have been fired upon than an escapee twelve months ago. However, that remains largely an impressionistic conclusion, and based on the evidence of recent months, any escapee is still running a very real risk of being met with armed force. End comments.

Gilmore

1. Source: Department of State, Files on the German Democratic Republic, 1987, Lot 90 D 14, SHUM–1 Human Rights—General. Limited Official Use. Sent for information to East Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Paris, London, the mission to NATO, CINCUSAREUR Heidelberg, USCINCEUR Vaihingen, and CINCUSAFE Ramstein.
2. Telegram 2542 from West Berlin, July 21. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870577–0458)
3. Telegram 2738 from West Berlin, August 8. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870634–0908)
4. Telegram 2826 from West Berlin, August 14. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870662–0190)
5. Telegram 2879 from West Berlin, August 20. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870684–0217)
6. Telegram 3656 from West Berlin, November 4. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870910–0288)
7. Telegram 1791 from West Berlin, May 14, reported two unsuccessful escape attempts from the GDR. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D870380–0029)