History revisited
There are quite a few museums and memorials along the Iron Curtain Trail. In the western part of Germany, they had existed before the walls and fences fell. One of it is in Schnackenburg, the Grenzland-Museum. Packed with GDR paraphenelia, relics, lively models of the border and many stories about escapes and deaths. One of them happened right after 1990. A man was so happy and excited to cross the East-West border legally for the first time in his life that he suffered from a heart attack. Nobody knew who was in charge in the middle of the river yet (East or West ambulance?), so help arrived too late and he sadly deceased. See more on the museum’s website.
Another highlight at the river Elbe is an old castle where you find an excellent hotel, a great organic restaurant and a beautifully landscaped park to relax.
If you ever went from West Germany to Berlin via Autobahn before 1989, you might have gone through a monstrous checkpoint. So did I, and now all the secrets are unveiled in th gigantic exhibit at the Checkpoint Marienborn at the Autobahn A2 between Helmstedt and Marienborn. Unfortunately there is very little written in English on the official website but you may get some insights on video.
By the way: German car drivers still do not like borders as you can see here:
