Observation Post Alpha, Cold War memorial in Rasdorf, Germany
Observation Post Alpha is a Cold War memorial near the border between Hesse and Thuringia. The site includes two exhibition buildings, reconstructed border fences with a watchtower, and preserved military barracks spread across a large open area.
NATO troops established a watchtower here in the 1950s to monitor movements in the Fulda Gap area. After German reunification, the site was transformed into a memorial that opened to visitors in the early 2000s.
This memorial site takes its name from the military call sign of the watchtower that once stood here. Visitors can read about how locals on both sides lived with the division and why this point was considered the most dangerous in Europe.
The grounds are open year-round and offer ample parking near the entrance. Paths between exhibition buildings and along the former border are mostly paved but can be uneven in places.
The American watchtower foundations rest on concrete blocks that stood further west than the actual border line. Soldiers could look into East German territory from West German soil without crossing the frontier themselves.
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