History

Point Alpha is located on the border between Hesse and Thuringia between Rasdorf and Geisa in the Rhoen Mountains. Located in the middle of nature-preserve Rhoen and other nature sanctuaries, this historic facility with its authentic buildings and grounds is a reminder of the partition of Germany and the horrors of the Cold War. The entire complex is a unique witness of the power struggle between two political systems. Here outposts of NATO and Warsaw Pact stood facing each other. Duty at the border After the end of WWII, Germany was divided into zones of occupation in accordance with the London Protocol of the Victors. In the Soviet Zone, the Red Army initially secured the border. The first border police was deployed in 1945, the border police was activated in 1946 and renamed German Border Police in 1952. Per Border Directive of 26 May 1952, border fortifications along the western border of the GDR were gradually expanded into a deeply echeloned and nearly impassable system of barriers and security devices. The German Border Police assumed exclusive control of the border in 1955. The Border Police was placed under the command of the National Peoples Army (NVA) as "Border Command", and was placed under direct control of the Ministry of National Defense, now renamed "Border Forces of the GDR". The border forces were reorganized as late as 1990 and were disbanded when Germany was reunited later that year. In the US Zone of Occupation the border was initially monitored by the Constabulary, which was soon replaced by American Cavalry units. In Hesse, the Hessian Border Police started border operations on 1 January 1946, initially controlled by the American Forces. The Hessian Border Police was transferred in 1950 to the Federal Customs Service. The Federal Border Police was established in May 1950 and became the third Western border service. Border Observation Point Alpha Point Alpha, until 1989 one of the most prominent border OPs of the US Forces in Europe, was located in the center of the so-called Fulda Gap, which was assumed to be the most likely attack corridor should the Warsaw Pact forces ever attack. The three squadrons of the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), stationed in Fulda, Bad Hersfeld and Bad Kissingen assumed border surveillance from Eschwege in the North to Coburg in the SE. Each squadron established one or more observation points near the border to the GDR. The Federal Assets Office consigned the area at Point Alpha to the US Forces for their exclusive use in 1965. The 14th ACR was replaced by the 11th ACR (Black Horse) in 1972 Forty soldiers normally served at Point Alpha, sometimes up to 200. They were replaced every one to four weeks. Starting in the late 1960s, permanent buildings were gradually built. A wooden observation tower was erected in 1968, from which Geisa could be observed. A steel tower replaced the wooden structure in 1982, which in turn was replaced by the extant concrete tower in 1985. The US Army returned OP Alpha in 1991 to the Federal Government. Point Alpha was put under a preservation order in 1995. The Association "Border Museum Rhoen Point Alpha" was founded the same year and began the development of today's Memorial Place. www.pointalpha.com