alternatehistory.com

I was reading this article (http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,660128,00.html) about the border guard, Harald Jäger, who was the first to let East Berliners cross through the Berlin Wall.

The opening of the border was announced almost off-handedly in a news conference around 7pm. Quickly hundreds of thousands of East Berliners were at the border wanting to get through. The guards didn't know what to do & their supervisors didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

This part sparked my interest:

Jäger: I spoke repeatedly to all officers in charge that evening. On the street, but also in my office. They demanded: "Harald, you've got to do something!" I said: "What am I supposed to do?" I wanted to hear what they thought. They stood together in my office and I wanted them to tell me what I should do. "It's up to you, you're the boss," they said. I said: "Should I let the GDR citizens leave? Or should I give the order to open fire?" "For God's sake!" they said. I only mentioned opening fire as a provocation, I wanted to know if they would support me if I allowed the GDR citizens to cross over. It was clear that it would be my responsibility but I wanted to be sure I would have their support. But that wasn't forthcoming. That's how the meeting ended.
What if he had decided to open fire? How would this have affected the fall of the wall, the end of the cold war & the reunification of Germany?
Top