The division of Berlin and the history of the Berlin Wall. What countries does Germany border with?

The European part of the Eurasian continent occupies approximately 10 million km², where more than 700 million people live. Europe is divided into 4 parts: eastern, western, northern and southern. There are 43 states located here. You can write a separate article about each of them to get to know each of them better. But you can briefly describe the most developed countries and find out, for example, which countries Germany borders on, whether Spain has access to the sea and ocean, and whether it is possible to quickly sail from Italy to the African continent.

Germany

The Federal Republic, which is located in the central part of Europe, has an area of ​​more than 300 thousand km², and the population at the end of 2015 was 82 million inhabitants (this is the 16th position in Europe in terms of population and 62nd position in territory).

The city of Berlin is the capital of Germany, 65% of the total population professes Christianity, and German is recognized as the official language.

Germany is the most developed country not only in Europe, but also in the world, and, of course, its proximity provides a great advantage.

What countries does Germany border with?

Germany is the central part of Europe, although it has access to seas such as the Baltic and North. The country has a common border with several states, or rather, there are 9 of them. Let's see which countries Germany borders with:

• in the west - the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Luxembourg;
• in the north - Denmark;
• in the south - Austria, Switzerland;
• in the east - the Czech Republic and Poland;

The total length of the borders is more than 3,700 kilometers. In the south there are countries that are closest to Germany in cultural and ethnic terms; in addition, German is also spoken in Austria, and in Switzerland, in addition to the official German language, there is also French. By the way, long years Germany and Austria were part of the same state.

Austria, Switzerland and Germany are the mountains, hills and lakes that unite these countries. One only has to think of the Alps, Lake Constance or the Rhine River, the upper course of which is a natural border.

Germany's southern land borders are connected with four countries, and one of the main ones here is France, which is also considered one of developed countries worldwide. The border between them runs along the Rhine, and for many years the lands belonged to one country or another, so many residents can speak both German and French. The remaining countries - Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - are small and have a small territory bordering Germany.

In the north, the only neighbor of the country described is Denmark, the border with which occupies only a small piece of land, next to the Baltic Sea.

Border between Germany and Poland

In addition to the southern, western and northern neighbors, the state also has eastern ones. Let's repeat once again which countries Germany borders on the east. These are Poland and the Czech Republic.

In the old days, conflicts constantly flared up between these countries due to differences in religions, culture and even linguistic affiliation. Thus, you can notice that in Poland there are many cities that have both Polish and German names, because for some time they belonged to Germany, for example, the city of Pozan. The borders between them pass along the Oder River.

The Berlin Wall and the Brandenburg Gate can be called the main symbols of the post-war partition of Germany and peaceful reunification. But the border between the GDR and the FRG passed not only through Berlin, although it was its most noticeable part - the front line " cold war".

She disappeared more than two decades ago. Others followed. Now you can drive almost all of Europe by car without ever presenting documents. And yet, when around the next turn of the autobahn a brown shield “Deutsche Teilung 1945-1990” appears, reminiscent of the division of Germany, it becomes somehow uneasy.

Between two systems

The "German-German" border was one of the most "deaf" in the world. Her total length was 1378 kilometers. Almost along its entire length it was equipped with a fence with barbed wire or other fortifications. Almost every half kilometer on the GDR side there were control towers. In total there were about 630 of them. Until November 1984, 440 kilometers of the border were equipped with SM-70 self-propelled devices. There were about 60 thousand of them.

The number of deaths during attempts to escape to the West, according to recent estimates, exceeds 800 people, of which 270 cases are officially recognized by the prosecutor's office. Disputes over these figures continue today, almost 20 years after the disappearance of the German-German border.

As it strengthens, the number successful escapes from the GDR to West Germany was constantly decreasing. From August 13, 1961, that is, the date of construction of the Berlin Wall, until the end of 1962, more than 14 thousand refugees were registered, in 1964 - 3155, in 1974 - 969. In 1985, only 160 people fled from the GDR directly across the border.

Memorial complex Marienborn

ABOUT former border in some places they still resemble checkpoints. We will make a stop in one of them today, leaving the autobahn between the western federal state of Lower Saxony and eastern Saxony-Anhalt.

On the A2 federal highway, the exit to the “piece” of the former “Iron Curtain” with an area of ​​7.5 hectares is marked with a sign: “Marienborn Memorial Complex”. We drive slowly past a gas station and service center. Behind them is a parking lot and the inscription "Gedenkstätte Deutsche Teilung Marienborn". The entrance is free. It seems that the wind will blow, and balls of thorns - tumbleweeds - that have come from nowhere will roll across the deserted area.

The checkpoint between the occupation zones on the Autobahn, which connected Berlin and Hanover, was opened immediately after the war - in July 1945. In 1950 Soviet troops transferred the checkpoint to the control of the authorities of the newly founded GDR. During the blockade of Berlin from June 1948 to May 1949, the checkpoint did not work.

Capital construction

The complex, which has survived to this day, was built in 1974. It then occupied 35 hectares. The checkpoint at Marienborn became the largest on the German-German border. Inspection and control of passenger, passenger and freight transport, as well as the railway line, was provided by up to 1000 border guards, customs officers and employees of the Ministry of State Security (Stasi) of the GDR. It was on an important route towards Berlin. Transit from Germany and other Western European countries to Poland and other countries of the Eastern Bloc was also carried out through this route.

There were separate checkpoints at the same place on the border. Soviet army and Western allied states - the USA, Great Britain and France, who inspected their vehicles crossing the intra-German border.

Zebra crossing on the autobahn

The West German checkpoint was located in the neighboring locality Helmstedt in Lower Saxony. Since the authorities of the Federal Republic did not recognize the permanent nature of the border, the control point on the western side was not permanent, but was of a temporary nature. Its capacity was often insufficient, leading to long lines and delays. In this regard, parking lots were expanded in Helmstedt, and the capacity of gas stations, cafes and restaurants was increased. They were located on both sides of the highway.

There was no underground or overpass in this place, so a “zebra crossing” was drawn right on the autobahn here - a unique, almost anecdotal case in the history of German highways.

On June 30, 1990, the checkpoint in Marienborn ceased to exist, but soon received the status of a historical monument. In 1992, the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt allocated funds to create a memorial complex on its basis.

Walk through the former checkpoint

Huge towers with huge floodlights are already visible from afar. The power of each of the 12 towers was 8000 watts. A bright light flooded the entire checkpoint area. "Marienborn" had autonomous system energy supply. In the event of a disconnection from external power, the emergency units were turned on after 20 seconds.

Separate buildings housed X-ray machines for checking baggage and trucks, as well as rooms for personal searches. Visual inspection of cars and buses was carried out using special stationary and hand-held mirrors.

Between the headquarters building and the freight transport control point there was a morgue for the inspection of bodies transported to Germany or other Western countries and, in exceptional cases, from these states to the GDR. There was also a medical center for monitoring patients. The buildings were connected by a secret system of underground passages and tunnels, which not all checkpoint employees knew about.

According to official data, during the last five-year period, checkpoint officers checked almost 10 million passenger cars and about 5 million trucks.

The German state has many neighbors. So what countries does Germany border with? Clockwise these are Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands. A large number of neighboring states is due to the fact that Germany is located in the very heart of Europe, at the intersection of many cultures and peoples.

Slavic neighbors

What countries does Germany border on the east? Poland and the Czech Republic are Slavic states. These two peoples settled east of the Germans in the 9th century. Long Neighborhood different cultures, religions and language groups led to constant conflicts and wars.

Thus, many Polish cities in the west of the country also have German names due to the fact that they previously belonged to Germany. For example, this is Poznan - Posen, Wroclaw - Breslau, etc. It's about about Baltic Pomerania and Silesia. The influence of its western neighbor is still felt here, although many local Germans were expelled from the country after World War II. It doesn’t hurt to remember that the largest conflict in human history began precisely in 1939, after Reich troops crossed the border of these two states.

Today, the territories of Germany and Poland are separated by the Oder River. This situation was established in 1945. At the same time, which is located even further east, passed to the USSR and became the Kaliningrad region. Residents of Poland remain the largest migrants in Germany, where they often work in the service sector. This country is bordered by the federal states of Mecklenburg, Brandenburg and Saxony. Poland, Germany and its other neighbors are part of the European Union.

The borders with the Czech Republic are more established. They have existed since the 19th century and reflect the settlement of these two peoples. In the 1930s, a dispute broke out over the Sudetes, the Czech mountains where the German population was predominant. occupied this territory before the Second World War, but after the war all German speakers were deported from there, and the region again passed to the Slavic socialist state. The Czech Republic is bordered by the federal states of Saxony and Bavaria.

Which countries does Germany border in the south?

Here the borders touch Austria and Switzerland. These countries are ethnically and culturally closest to Germany. Here, too, German has the status of the state language (in Switzerland also French).

The name of Austria confirms this status. Österreich translates as "eastern empire". Previously, Austria and Germany were part of one state. However, over time, each country went its own way. Austria became the seat of a powerful people who also united many Slavic states in the east under their rule. In Germany main role Prussia began to play. Its capital was in Berlin. She united the country, and it was this state, with various changes, that eventually became modern Germany.

Switzerland, like Austria, borders Germany on hills, plains, the Alps and numerous bodies of water. One of them is the famous Lake Constance, which has long been a popular point on the tourist map. Also, the upper reaches of the Rhine are the natural border between Germany and Switzerland. There are many bridges and highways here. These southern neighbors are bordered by the federal and Baden-Württemberg.

France

Germany's borders with this neighbor run along the Rhine and then turn 90 degrees to the west. There are many large cities and industrial facilities. These lands often changed hands. Especially Alsace and Lorraine. For this reason, residents of these areas speak both French and German. Thanks to the Schengen Agreement, the borders are open and residents can move freely in both countries. The same applies to most of the members of the European Union. From the federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate.

Benelux

This is a universal abbreviation used to refer to three small countries in Western Europe- Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Here is the Rhine-Ruhr region, where there are the most cities in the country, which is associated with a large concentration of production and human resources. These are Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, etc. The German borders here belong to the regions of Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia and The local landscape is a plain, turning into a lowland as it approaches the North Sea.

Which countries does Germany border in the north?

The only country on this side of the world is Denmark. Its border with Germany runs along a small piece of land located in the Baltic Sea. This is the historical region of Schleswig-Holstein.

The idea of ​​where to go for the weekend from a small town located near Frankfurt am Main did not come to us right away. A friend came to visit us from , and we had to come up with something interesting.

The proximity of Strasbourg was unusually attractive, however, I didn’t want to buy a direct train ticket for a simple reason: in Germany there are excellent tickets for weekends - Schönes Wochenende - at a cost of forty-two euros, with which you can travel with five people throughout Germany, however, only by slow trains. It turns out to be eight euros per brother, which suited us quite well.

We knew that the bridge of Europe divides us, and that the distances there should be childish, not Russia, with its generous expanses. After briefly studying the map, we calculated that from the German border town of Kehl to the center of Strasbourg is only about five, well, maybe six, kilometers, so it was decided - let's go!

German trains rarely go directly from point A to point B; usually between them there are also points C, D and G. And now we were traveling through Karlsruhe and a certain Appenweier.

So, the last one especially pleased us with the fact that at the railway station there are three platforms, which in principle would not be so strange if they were not numbered as 1, 2 and for some reason 9. The guys are a little at odds with counting.

Still, we successfully change trains and set off for Kehl. In general, it can be called a city with very great difficulty. More like a village. Although it should be noted that she is pretty. There is a small central square with a church and a couple of pleasant parks.

The destination of our trip, of course, is far from Kehl, but since we decided to get to Strasbourg through it, we decided to see what interesting things there were here. They say that many residents of Kehl work in France and travel across the state border every day. But what are the borders in Europe?

Walking through the center of Kehl, we find a peculiar structure. As it turns out, this is a spider slide. German children are so harsh that they prefer to ride on a spider, or from a spider, to put it more correctly.

In the summer in southern Germany it’s like in the resorts of the Black Sea coast. Very hot! German children escape from such heat very easily, almost like the brave airborne troops on August 2. It’s a pity, we can’t afford to do that, it’s somehow not comme il faut to walk around all day in damp clothes.

Very close to the Bridge of Europe, three flags hang on a government building: Germany, France and the European Union. There is also a megachair. It doesn’t seem to be that big, but try to climb on it. I personally didn't succeed.

So, let's begin the ceremonial transition. We really hope to see a sign in the middle of the bridge, telling us that here, yes, this is where the territory of Germany ends and the territory of France begins, but that was not the case.

There is no such sign. Standard only road signs notify us that we have arrived in the territory of another country and another city.

It's still a long way from the center of Strasbourg, of course. On the French side we are greeted by the park Le Jardin des De Rives, that is, the garden of the “Two Banks”, from here we can clearly see the bridge along which we just walked.

Well, we already have some four kilometers left, or maybe less, and we are in the center of Strasbourg, where, in fact, we are heading. The French-German beauty did not immediately appear to us; at first it seemed as if we were walking through a wasteland, somewhat scorched by the scorching sun. However, beautiful architecture is gradually beginning to appear.

We pass through quiet residential areas of the city. The streets are narrow, crowded with cars and bicycles. Although you can feel the French charm.

This is how it seems like a French burger, having drunk a cup of coffee and a croissant in the morning, jumps into a small car, the black one over there, for example, and rushes to the European quarter to the human rights court.

We get a little closer to the center, and along the way we begin to see universities, schools and fancy sculptures. In my opinion, what is below in the photo symbolizes love. Still, contemporary art is a peculiar thing.

To take a little break we go to the Citadel Park, a small green oasis among the stone pavements. We fall onto the bench and lakes and admire the swans swimming past.

Residential areas are slightly diluted with the wonderful Art Nouveau style (from the French art nouveau), which the Germans call Jugendstil (that is, “young style”). By the way, we will meet him more than once in Strasbourg.

And in the courtyard of a neighboring house, a crocodile hidden in the bushes is waiting for us. Yes, not quite similar. So what if it's straw? How he got there and, most importantly, why, remains a mystery to us.

Finally, the houses are becoming more and more gingerbread, and Stasburg Cathedral can already be seen in the distance. Although, of course, it’s not at all far away. About fifteen minutes and we are in the main square of the city.

And here are the famous half-timbered houses on the Ill River. No, these are not those that are closer to us, but a little further away. Do you see the pipe still sticking out of it?

Greenery, summer, river. Everything seems to be as it should be. But it's still insanely hot. In Strasbourg, by the way, like in many other European cities, there is salvation for such cases.

Fountains with clean water are scattered throughout the city center drinking water, all we have to do is arm ourselves with a bottle, and we definitely won’t suffer from thirst.

The closer Piazza Catedral is to us, the more half-timbered houses there become. They looked like they had just escaped from a fairy tale, with toy shutters in delicious colors.

The streets are still as narrow, although it should be noted that more and more souvenir shops are appearing where you can buy postcards, and also find out that the most important symbol of Alsace, the region of France in which Strasbourg is located, is none other than the stork. True, we can’t do without pretzels here either; after all, we are still not far from Germany.

So here it is! The majestic Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral looms grimly over the city. We go inside to admire the stained glass windows, but decide not to go up to the tower. This is not a cheap thing.

But as soon as you turn your head in a different direction, not a trace remains of the gloom of the cathedral. We are greeted by an eternal holiday with carousels on Catedral Square.

Meanwhile, a feeling of great fatigue and a desire to have lunch appeared. It turned out funny. We wandered around the center for a long, long time, choosing the most comfortable place, and eventually found this one. We ordered a bottle of wine and asked the waiter for advice on some special dish. Alas, our French was very questionable, so little on the menu was clear.

As it turned out, the waiter offered us a typical American burger with fries. Of course, it paired perfectly with rose wine. Conclusion: you need to learn to understand French plus clarify your queries. If we had said that we wanted something French, there probably wouldn’t have been any problems.

After lunch, we move towards the European quarter. But there is not much time left for the last return train, only three hours, and we still have time to see so little. Here in front of us is a man with a terribly creaky bicycle who clearly refuses to go. We overtake him, and then we hear behind us: “Guys, are you Russian?”

It turned out that one of our guys had a St. George’s ribbon on his backpack, by which our fellow countryman recognized us. We found out that he is from St. Petersburg, but has been living in Strasbourg for many years, studied here, and now works as a translator. Our new friend volunteered to take a walk with us and at the same time tell us something interesting. We parked his sad bike, let's move on.

Almost opposite the human rights court we see a tent. There was a small strike, I don’t remember at all about what. I wonder how effective it is?

Our guide pours different stories, and also offers to take a tour inside the European Parliament, because, as it turned out, they are easily allowed inside.

By the way, here we come to it.

Alas, it’s already about six in the evening and there’s no way to enter the building. But you can go into the courtyard. Our new friend easily negotiates in French with the security guard and voila. Such a scenario would never even have occurred to me. What a successful meeting, however!

A couple of days ago Croatia was admitted to the European Union, so patio all replete with congratulations. Welcome Croatia!

And time flies at high speed, and now we only have an hour and a half left before departure. We decide to go after all from Strasbourg, and not walk back to Kehl. A little risky, because our ticket is only valid in Germany. However, we hope that during the fifteen minutes that we will travel to Kehl, the controller will not appear in the carriage.

On the way to the station we look into the Orangerie park, which surprises us with a huge number of stork nests. The symbol of Alsace is respectfully cared for. We even manage to see one of the many birds in person.

It turned out to be a long walk to the station, so our friend the conductor suggested jumping on a tram. And here, he says, there are two ways: either we, like decent citizens, buy tickets and don’t worry about anything, or we ride like a hare. The second option is more interesting, plus there is a proven way to avoid getting caught.

You must sit at the very beginning of the cabin, because when the tram approaches the stop, the controller is always visible - he has a remarkable white uniform. And the controller always sits at the end of the cabin and starts checking the availability of tickets from there. This way, we will have time to jump out and wait for the next tram, or in extreme cases, a bus.

Fortunately, we did not meet the controller either on the tram or on the train. We made it everywhere in time and left safely back to Germany. Thanks to the city of Strasbourg and pleasant unexpected acquaintances!

Germany on the map and in life is surrounded by neighboring states. This country shares common borders with many federal neighbors. What countries does Germany border with?

German land borders

The German states share common borders with the following states:

• Austria;
• Czech Republic;
• the Netherlands;
• Denmark;
• Luxembourg;
• Switzerland;
• Poland;
• France;
• Belgium.

The longest border is between Germany and Austria. It covers 817 kilometers. The border with the Czech Republic is almost the same. Germany's smallest border lies next to Denmark. The remaining neighboring countries have approximately equal border lines.

The total length of the German borders is 3,786 kilometers. Some of the above countries have mixed borders with Germany, since they pass both by land and by sea.

German maritime borders

Part of Germany's water borders makes the country a neighbor of Denmark. Poland is also connected to German territories by sea borders. There are also maritime borders with Germany near remote Sweden.

Germany holds the record for the number of neighbors among Western European countries. On land this country is adjacent to 9 states, and at sea it is completely adjacent to only one.

The Alps and seas form natural obstacles on the German frontiers. There are many border towns in Germany equipped with customs offices.

For citizens of the European Union, of which Germany is a member, crossing the borders of neighboring countries is not at all difficult. It is enough to have a passport of a citizen of an “European Union” country. Foreigners with a Schengen visa can also visit EU countries without an additional entry permit if they travel from Germany.

Since Germany is a developed economy and has enough high level life, becoming a citizen is not easy. The strict immigration policy in this state is due to the large number of people who want to move there.

To cross German borders legally, you need to become a citizen of one of the EU countries, or obtain German citizenship through marriage, work or investment.

German borders are among the longest in Europe, as the country's area is 357 square kilometers. In terms of area, this country ranks 62nd in the world. Germans are very proud of their central position in Western Europe and enjoy spending weekends in neighboring countries.

Who does Germany border on the map?

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