Heinz Schäfer: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Former East German Stasi officer}} |
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'''Heinz Schäfer''' (born circa 1930-1931) is a former [[East Germany|East German]] [[Stasi]] officer, a colonel at the time, who claims to have ordered the disarming of the automatically-triggered weapons trained on the crossing and then to have ordered the opening of the [[Waltersdorf Chaussee-Rudow Chaussee border crossing]] of the [[Berlin Wall]] on 9 November 1989, hours before [[Harald Jäger]] opened his gate at the Bornholmer crossing. |
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{{for|the German Olympic wrestler|Heinz Schäfer (wrestler)}} |
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'''Heinz Schäfer''' (born c. 1930/31) is a former [[East Germany|East German]] [[Stasi]] officer who was present during at least two significant European events of the [[Cold War]], the [[Berlin Crisis of 1961]] and the [[Fall of the Berlin Wall]]. |
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==Checkpoint Charlie== |
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Schäfer came forward during a discussion of the events of that historic night at a 2009 gathering of school girls and said that he then became inspired to tell his story publicly. He stated that he began to allow crossings by 8:30 p.m. or at the latest by 9:00 p.m. The Waltersdorf-Rudow crossing was a small facility that had no television coverage, as existed at the Bornholmer crossing, therefore there is no confirming documentation available. |
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On 27 October 1961, [[Soviet]] and US forces confronted one another at Berlin's [[Checkpoint Charlie]], creating the potential for all-out war between the powers. Heinz Schäfer was an East German border guard at the time, and states that only by keeping calm did both sides avoid catastrophic confrontation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thelocal.de/20111027/38499 |title=Nervy Checkpoint Charlie Standoff Remembered |publisher=The Local (de) |date=7 October 2011 |accessdate=10 January 2016}}</ref> |
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==Opening of the Berlin Wall== |
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If true, his action would explain reports of the presence of East Berliners in West Berlin hours before the opening by Jäger of the checkpoint he supervised at Bornholmer at 11:30 p.m.<ref>{{cite news |title=East Germans may have arrived in West Berlin hours before previously thought |author=McElroy, Damien |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6519769/East-Germans-may-have-arrived-in-West-Berlin-hours-before-previously-thought.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=7 November 2009 |accessdate=7 November 2014}}</ref> From the accounts by both men, the two made their decisions independently of each other and both did it without orders from their supervisors. |
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9 November 1989 marked the opening of the [[Berlin Wall]]. Schäfer—at the time a [[Stasi]] colonel—claims to have been the first to open the wall, having ordered his men to deactivate the automatically triggered weapons at his [[Berlin_border_crossings#West_Berlin_-_GDR|Waltersdorf Chaussee/Rudow Chaussee]] border crossing, and then to have ordered the opening of the gate. His account places his actions hours ahead of [[Harald Jäger]], who has long been recognized as the first East German officer to breach the wall, at the [[Bornholmer_Straße_border_crossing|Bornholmer]] crossing.<ref>{{cite web|author=McElroy, Damien|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/6519769/East-Germans-may-have-arrived-in-West-Berlin-hours-before-previously-thought.html |title=East Germans May Have Arrived in West Berlin Hours Before Previously Thought |publisher=The Telegraph UK |date=7 November 2009 |accessdate=10 January 2016}}</ref> However, unlike Jäger's station, Schäfer's facility at Waltersdorf-Rudow was small and had no television coverage. Therefore, there is no confirming documentation of Schäfer's account. Jäger maintains that Schäfer is lying. |
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Schäfer came forward with these conflicting claims during a 2009 gathering of school girls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pravdareport.com/news/world/07-11-2009/110355-berlin_wall-0/ |title=Berlin Wall Was Breached 20 Years Ago |publisher=Pravda |date=7 November 2009 |accessdate=10 January 2016}}</ref> If true, his actions would explain reports of East Berliners in West Berlin hours before the opening of Jäger's Bornholmer checkpoint. |
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From accounts by both Schäfer and Jäger, the two made their decisions independently of one other, without orders from supervisors. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Persondata |
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| NAME = Schäfer, Heinz |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = German Stasi officer |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 1931 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Schafer, Heinz}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schafer, Heinz}} |
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[[Category:Stasi officers]] |
[[Category:Stasi officers]] |
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[[Category:Berlin Wall]] |
[[Category:Berlin Wall]] |
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[[Category:Living people]] |
[[Category:Living people]] |
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[[Category:1989 in Berlin]] |
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[[Category:Cold War]] |
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Latest revision as of 10:17, 14 October 2023
Heinz Schäfer (born c. 1930/31) is a former East German Stasi officer who was present during at least two significant European events of the Cold War, the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
Checkpoint Charlie[edit]
On 27 October 1961, Soviet and US forces confronted one another at Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie, creating the potential for all-out war between the powers. Heinz Schäfer was an East German border guard at the time, and states that only by keeping calm did both sides avoid catastrophic confrontation.[1]
Opening of the Berlin Wall[edit]
9 November 1989 marked the opening of the Berlin Wall. Schäfer—at the time a Stasi colonel—claims to have been the first to open the wall, having ordered his men to deactivate the automatically triggered weapons at his Waltersdorf Chaussee/Rudow Chaussee border crossing, and then to have ordered the opening of the gate. His account places his actions hours ahead of Harald Jäger, who has long been recognized as the first East German officer to breach the wall, at the Bornholmer crossing.[2] However, unlike Jäger's station, Schäfer's facility at Waltersdorf-Rudow was small and had no television coverage. Therefore, there is no confirming documentation of Schäfer's account. Jäger maintains that Schäfer is lying.
Schäfer came forward with these conflicting claims during a 2009 gathering of school girls.[3] If true, his actions would explain reports of East Berliners in West Berlin hours before the opening of Jäger's Bornholmer checkpoint.
From accounts by both Schäfer and Jäger, the two made their decisions independently of one other, without orders from supervisors.
References[edit]
- ^ "Nervy Checkpoint Charlie Standoff Remembered". The Local (de). 7 October 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ McElroy, Damien (7 November 2009). "East Germans May Have Arrived in West Berlin Hours Before Previously Thought". The Telegraph UK. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
- ^ "Berlin Wall Was Breached 20 Years Ago". Pravda. 7 November 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2016.