WIESBADEN, Germany - Sometimes history is made by events that never happened. The Fulda Gap, a location of a former Cold War observation post, is an example of just that.
German and American high school students joined this year's celebration of the last U.S. patrol at Point Alpha - located between Hessen and Thuringia. The site was regarded as a crucial invasion route for East Germany into the west had actual warfare erupted.
"We bought time ... for ideals we strongly believed in," said Edward M. Alford, U.S. consulate general making remarks to those in attendance assembled around the camp's flagpole. "Places like Point Alpha bought that freedom."
The students received a special tour and heard real-life accounts from actual witnesses to the Cold War in the area once divided by a physical border and ideologies.
"The border is not designed to keep the west from going to the east," said Steve Steininger, U.S. Forces liaison officer for Rheinland Pfalz. Steininger described details of the border and patrol operations, having served in the camp five times from 1987-89.A,A "It was to keep the people from the former East Germany in East Germany and not escaping to the west."
As a result of Steininger's exposition, students were fascinated to learn how many easterners were captured by the East German soldiers or maimed because the pseudo-fence and land mines at the border deceived them.
"The East Germans crossed over they thought, 'okay we're free, we're in West Germany,'" said Anna Yu, Wiesbaden High School. "But there was another fence and more distance to go ... and they (were caught and) had to be brought back."
"It was pretty interesting how they had the mines ... the first three weren't anything ... a trick. ... And then the fourth one they thought they were about to get over the fence ... and then they got killed," said Alex Leknes.
Bernhard Fey enlightened the students on the perspective of an East German attempting escape to the west.
He tirelessly struggled to get out of the east. He told of his plight to gain refuge in the west and how freedom came after years of imprisonment, nearly dying and a period of confinement to a wheelchair before finally gaining refuge in the west.
"I thought of escaping to the west nearly every day," said Fey as a translator conveyed that he was barely 15 years old when he first began planning his escape.
The day concluded with the students sitting for a panel discussion about whether it is worthwile to keep up the rememberance of the Cold War and the German Division. Panel members shared more personal stories and memories and answered various questions from the students.
Though the students were somewhat familiar with the history of the site, the visit underscored the significance of Point Alpha for those born after 1989.
"I now see how high the tensions were between both (sides)," said Joseph Griffith, Wiesbaden High School student. "I'm happy that we came because I got to see how far German and American relationships have come in 20 years."
"It's a good thing that a place like this was kept so people could see how it was here," said Sophia Renner, Winfriedschule Fulda student.
"(This spot) was important in guaranteeing our generation a future," said Leknes.
And as the youth were present and two decades had elapsed, those who served during that time reveled at the evidence that their stand was worthwhile.
"Twenty years later I'm so happy because it all came out very well," said Uta Thofern, Director of the Point Alpha Foundation. "We had some problems yes, and we still have some problems, but compared to what was before 1989 in the east it's nothing.
"But altogether we mastered this German unity very, very, very well. And I think we can all be so happy that we can live together and be free," Thofern said.
"What we wanted to happen has happened," said Alford. "All those Christmases spent away from home and family weren't in vain."
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