Movement meets history

On Friday, 14 November, numerous interested participants came together for the first ever special guided hike along the Point Alpha border trail. This course, organised by University Sports at Fulda University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with the Point Alpha Foundation, offered a unique opportunity to combine history, exercise and social interaction.

We were accompanied by tour guide Monika Held, who grew up in the immediate vicinity of the former inner-German border on the side of the FRG (Federal Republic of Germany). Her personal stories left a lasting impression on the group. The participants were visibly moved by her lively reports and the authenticity with which she conveyed the border experiences of that time.

^{© Wolfgang Weber}

The hike managed to take us to various stations, including some bunkers and the impressive view towards Geisa, the westernmost point of the former GDR and thus of the entire Warsaw Pact. Here, history came alive as the participants learnt not only about the military significance of Observation Post Alpha, but also about the human fates that were interwoven with the border.

The tour guide gave an impressive account of the time when the border shaped people's lives and explained that the American soldiers were seen as protection against a possible attack by the Warsaw Pact. The group learnt about the key strategic role the Fulda Gap played in the Cold War. This geographical weak point in eastern Hesse would have paved the way for a rapid advance by Warsaw Pact troops towards Frankfurt am Main. In response to this threat, NATO was planning possible nuclear countermeasures at the time, while the region became a symbol of the peace movement in the 1980s, which opposed the threat of rearmament.

• Wir lebten in unmittelbarer Nähe zur [Grenze]. […] Dort konnte man die Brutalität der Teilung hautnah erleben. Schützen, so glaubten wir, würden uns die amerikanischen Soldaten, wenn es zu einem Angriff des Warschauer Paktes kommen würde. Wir wussten bis zur Friedensbewegung nichts vom Fulda Gap und der damit verbundenen Gefahr." (Monika Held) 

At the end of the hike, the tour guide drew the participants' attention once again to the peace spiral at the house on the border. She emphasised the importance of understanding the past in order to consciously experience the present and actively shape the future. She emphasised that the words "Frieden", "Peace" and "мир" engraved in the sculpture are not only a symbol of the past, but also a constant reminder of our responsibility for peace in the present and future.

The hike along the former inner-German border offered more than just physical exercise, as it created a bridge to a specialisation in historical and political topics. The attendance of international students also strengthened social and intercultural education. Language barriers were overcome with the help of translation apps, which further supported intercultural exchange and underlined the internationalisation of Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

A particularly unique selling point of Fulda University of Applied Sciences and its University Sports programme is its location close to the border in the scenic Rhön region, which makes such unique offers possible.

• If you would like to find out more about the Point Alpha memorial and its history, please visit the official website: Link to the Point Alpha Memorial.
• Planning for further hikes along the former inner-German border is already in full swing, and those interested can look forward to upcoming dates!