The Brocken - The Soviet Spy Mountain
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- In this Cold War documentary: Join me on a historical expedition to Germany to visit one of the most sinister Espionage / Cold War Black Ops installations in Europe - The Brocken Mountain former Soviet and Stasi Electronic Warfare Station. aka The Soviet Spy Mountain!
The Brocken Mountain is the highest peak in the Harz Mountain range in Northern Germany. During The Cold War 1961 - 1989 due to its proximity to the then Inner German Border between East and West Germany and its elevation, the Brocken summit was occupied by the Soviet Army and transformed into a highly fortified Electronic Warfare and Espionage facility, with the ability to reach the whole of NATO aligned Western Europe.
The Mountain was subject to a 2km wide Exclusion Zone to keep ordinary East German citizens away. While the Summit was heavily fortified with a wall, watch and gun towers and guarded by East German and Soviet Soldiers
The Soviet GRU and KGB operated from a highly classified facility known as "Object Yenisei" a secure site within a secure site which is still a state secret of the present day Russian Federation. While the East German secret police, aka The Stasi operated from "Object Urian" to spy on both the East and West German peoples, the West and NATO.
After the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, on 3rd December 1989 in a display of total bravery 100s of local people marched up the mountain to reclaim the summit from the Soviets and Stasi.
Realising the huge geopolitical changes underway, instead of meeting the villagers with military force, the Soviet Station Commander opened the gates and let the people back on to the summit.
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Brocken Hotel Website:
brockenhotel.de
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Background:
The Brocken, also known as Brocken Mountain or Blocksberg, is the highest peak in the Harz mountain range in Germany. It is located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and stands at an elevation of 1,141 meters (3,743 feet). The mountain is not only significant for its height but also for its cultural and natural importance.
The Brocken has a long history of folklore and legends associated with it. It is often connected to the mythical Walpurgis Night, a traditional festival celebrated on the night of April 30th to May 1st. According to popular belief, this is the night when witches and demons gather on the mountaintop to hold a grand meeting. This association with witchcraft has inspired many literary works, including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's "Faust."
The mountain's location in the Harz National Park makes it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. The national park is known for its diverse flora and fauna, including rare and endangered species. The Brocken is covered with dense forests, featuring a mix of spruce, beech, and fir trees. The unique climate on the summit, known as an alpine climate, is created by the mountain's elevation, resulting in lower temperatures and high winds.
One of the most distinctive features of the Brocken is its frequent occurrence of mist or fog. Due to its height and exposure to prevailing winds, the mountain is often shrouded in dense clouds, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere.
To reach the summit of the Brocken, visitors can take a historic narrow-gauge steam railway known as the Harz Railway (Harzer Schmalspurbahnen) which has been in operation for over a century. The journey provides stunning views of the surrounding landscapes, including deep valleys, rocky cliffs, and charming villages. Once at the top, visitors can explore the summit area, which includes a weather station, a hotel, a restaurant, and a visitor center. The panoramic views from the summit are breathtaking, allowing visitors to see the vast expanse of the Harz region.
One of the most distinctive features of the Brocken is its frequent occurrence of mist or fog. Due to its height and exposure to prevailing winds, the mountain is often shrouded in dense clouds, creating an eerie and mysterious atmosphere. This phenomenon is known as the "Brocken Spectre" or "Brocken Bow," where an observer standing on the summit can see their shadow cast upon the mist, surrounded by a circular rainbow.
Chapters:
01:30 Intro / Torfhaus
05:20 Walking to the Inner German Border
11:30 The Braunlage to Elend Road then and now
13:42 Schierke Station / The Brockenbahn
15:45 History of the Brocken Summit
23:03 The Peaceful Revolution 03/12/1989
25:22 The Summit Today
27:10 Object Urian / "The Stasi Mosque"
29:25 The Brocken Hotel
31:05 Outro
#coldwar #soviet #spy #blackops
I was a Royal Signals technician based with the UK’s Electronic Warfare regiment in Celle, we had detachments in Wolfsburg and Wolfenbuttel where, in conjunction with US signals units rendered the Brocken into little more than a propaganda broadcaster. With a combination of electronic jamming and disinformation injecting (RF signals full of gibberish) With the state of the art electronic Radar jammer that our unit had we were able not only to restrict the Russian air defence systems but detect ANY electronic activity in that area and inject false data. For the 2 years I was based there my unit was on constant alert to deploy our mobile EW units to support any armoured operation defencive or offensive. This article is really quite accurate
I was with 94 in Celle, and spent my first 4 weeks in Park Bks as 94 had visitors and the mess was full.
Yes, I was going to ask this question. I guess if you know you have someone listening to you, then you'd spoof them with misleading info, or jam their listening capabilities completely.
@@williamtraynor-kean7214 94 Locating moved out of Celle in 1985 my Unit moved in from Schuen in the summer.My only memories of the place was what a dump and it had 2 RGJ up the road. I actually volunteered to return to NI
We mustn't forget 226 Signal Sqd Wesendorf. I was a contractor visiting the site several times during the 70's working on the Bacchus ESM equipment. The set room was built into the old railway station which led to Belsen. I remember being told that the wooded area behind the station HQ was fenced off and contained unmarked areas where dead bodies were offloaded from the trains in transit to the Belsen extermination camp.
That’s really interesting because I know a chap (a German citizen, actually, who was an officer in the East German military, although I forget which branch exactly) who is adamant - absolutely adamant - that they were operating a system that enabled them to track the movements and whereabouts of all NATO aircraft at any given moment in time. He further went on to state that this was not a radar-based system, but one which fed the electronic emissions data into a complex of computers, which then disseminated this information in real-time to further along the chain of command. Although I do not know how true this is likely to have proven in practice had the Cold War turned hot, he further claimed that had it done so, the Warsaw Pact (or, at least, the East German component thereof) would have been able to engage and defeat the Western Air Forces with considerable precision according to their side’s own doctrine of air and missile power. Like I said, I do not know how true this claim is likely to have been, but it’s such an interesting anecdote that I thought I would share it with you because I do sometimes have the suspicion that we always underestimated the other side’s capabilities in some areas because of how overmatched Soviet equipment on the export market had always proven in combat when faced against a serious military (e.g., Israel’s).
Ruining greta thunbergs childhood gave me quite the giggle 😂
I served in the Danish army in 1969/70. In Febr./March 1970 we were stationed in Münster Lager with the British Royal Artillery, with whom we exercised our 155 mm self propelled Howitzers. We really got an impression of how tense the Cold War was at that time - but also had a merry time in the Harz, Celle and other places. In January 1990 I was with my wife and children skiing in the Harz Mountains, which we had done for many years. But this skiing event was particularly exciting and historical, as we during our cross country suddenly discovered a whole in the fence into GDR. With a little bit of anxiety we proceeded through the hole and continued up to the top of the Brocken. A most absurd experience, as we - and other skiers - found our selves moving in between Soviet soldiers, who left the impression of passivity, inactivity and desillusion; and peaceful. There was a cafeteria, where you could buy a coffee etc. and enjoy it at a table next to a group of Soviet soldiers - those who used to be our enemies! Thanks to Andy McIoone for an interesting visit to this historical place; where I now go in the Winther time with my grand children for some alpine skiing! Michael Keldsen, Denmark.
you must be proud that your goverment now is spying on you more than eastgermany or soviet ever did.
At Easter 1962, I made a cycle tour in Germany, with the Brocken as one of the highlights. No one warned me that my plan was unrealizable. Approaching along the the road you took, I was surprised to find that after a while there were weeds poking up through the tarmac. Then came a point where a strip of land had been ploughed on either side of the road, running straight across the tarmac. Unable to ride any farther, although there was no fence or warning sign, I stopped for a good look round, taking in a wooden tower a couple of hundred yards away, in which I could just make out a man watching me through binoculars. That spooked me and I turned back without taking any photographs. But my memory of it has not faded.
As a German too young to have witnessed the parting of Germany and having visited the Harz and Brocken multiple times this is immensely interesting to hear. I was aware of the listening post and some of the history, but not in that much detail. It's weird to imagine the Harz being split by the Iron Curtain for so long when it is very much one cohesive region, geographically and culturally. Though being from Schleswig-Holstein, I will have to insist that the Harz and Brocken are in central Germany, not northern Germany.
Fun fact: in German folklore this mountain is called "Blocksberg" and is the main meeting point for witches riding on their broomsticks
Also in Denmark every, 23 July.
They celebrate Sankt Hans where they burn a witch on a big fire, so the witches can fly to Bloksbjerg.
@@andriandrason1318 This raises the Question of what would even be considered a "Mountain" in Denmark.
@@Genius_at_Work hahahah great comment :D
It raises the question of a Dane not getting the month right. Sankt Hans is in June for starters. An ant hill is a mount... The Danes are very shy and humble people which in return is proudly proclaimed to the rest of the world. Stand out from the crowd and visit Denmark like millions of other tourists.... By the way the national anthem is irony...
To the tower! To the Tower! Rapunzel!!
After reunification, tapes were found in GDR archives with recordings of a telephone conversation between the officer on duty in the reconnaissance tower of Communications Sector C of the German Air Force on the Stöberhai. On this tape it could be heard that the other officer pointed out that the information just mentioned should not have been passed on by telephone for reasons of confidentiality, to which the DO replied that nothing wrong could happen since it was a telephone conversation ...
Any idea where i could find this?
I’m I’m so excited 😆 it’s
Wonder if he ever found out why he was "promoted" to the shittiest posting he could possibly have gotten.
Ah shit lol. I thought they were spying on their east German friends when they actually caught the West germans with their pants down. I don't know much about airfields afar from the bavarian ones...
@@johnredcorn2476 Some of the older equipment of Stöberhai has been brought into the "Eloka Museum" in Wieda. Maybe there can information about the sourrces be gathered.
This is an outstanding peace of history.
I have escaped December 1972 from East to West Germany near Nordhausen unharmed.
The Brocken mountain I saw 1959 and never been there after unification.
Sadly all the pine trees are all gone.
Greetings from Sydney my new home since 1980
Fascinating. How did you get accustomed to life in the free world?
How did you manage to escape?
I have read many stories of escapes from East Germany and would very much appreciate hearing about yours!
Massive balls on the local Germans that went to peacefully liberate the site, the common sense response by the Soviet officer on duty deserves respect also. Another day a slightly different mood in the air and that could have been a bloodbath. Interesting video, subscribed. Cold war history fascinates me, particularly the espionage elements, Best wishes.
Shows just how powerful determined and peaceful citizens can be in the face of tyranny. A lesson we might all take to heart and keep close in current times. ❤
Clearly a much stronger generation. Germans now don't even have the balls to ask US about NS2. 'Sorry for buying Russian gas, sir. Is there anything else you'd like to blow up?'
It was anything but peaceful. West German residents, Politicians & Western press turned up in their thousands to try & physically demolish the wall, kick out the Russian army detachment billeted up there, and physically tear the wicked Stassi (ex Gestapo) East German secret Police to shreds. Two West German protesters were dead before midday, when a concrete wall section they were trying to demolish fell on them and they were squashed. Many others tried to fight armed Russian troops trying to block the gap in the wall, and got at the very least hit with rifle butts. From memory at least 45 West Germans needed Hospital treatment before the day was out. Fortunately the danger of the Russian forces opening fire on civilians was averted. Most of this News footage is available to see by the public on the Brocken Mountain summit TODAY, in the "spy era Museum" also at the 4007ft high summit. So all this, is just one reason why this mountain summit now attracts Millions of tourists every year !!!!!!
I know as I lived at the foot of this mountain from 2006-2015 whilst rebuilding one of the thousands of beautiful period "listed" Medieval houses found in ALL the ex East German Harz mountain towns & villages. Indeed if you like beautiful Elizabethan style timber framed houses, this is the ONLY place left on the planet, where complete towns & villages have remained virtually unchanged for over 500 years. Wernigerode alone attracts over 1 million tourists annually who come to gawp at the gigantic Castle dating from 10th Century, & my Secretary lived opposite the towns oldest house dating from 1306 !!!! Even the rail network in this area still uses Steam, on a 100 mile network of metre gauge lines, one of which climbs to the 4007ft Brocken summit !
I suppose it’s the belief that “they can’t shoot us all”
That is especialy true when you look at the 17th of June 1953 when (depending on sources) 400´000 up to 1´500´000 east germans protested massively all around the GDR and the soviets and also east german state authorities came with heavy equipment like tanks and soliders and also the east german police to shoot them down. 50 were killed that day and in the aftermath around 15´000 people got arrested plus at minimum 5 people of the authorities have been killed too. This day was a bood bath. And it could have been the same in november 1989 when the wall came down.
I was with the RAFG Harrier force in the 80s & 90s. Training exercises and security briefs always mentioned the 'Brocken' along with the classic photo of the spy station high up overlooking the west as it was then. I first visited the area in 1991, the border fences and towers were mostly still intact but empty and we only got as far as Scheirke on the train up the Brocken. My shanks' pony wouldn't go to the top (I was RAF not Army, no vehicle no go!). Over 30 years later I will be returning to the area this month to see how things have changed and complete the journey to the top by train (and with the 2023 prices!). Your video has provided a good insight to the Brocken, much I didn't know and to look out for, excellent and thanks.
Taking the Train up there is pretty expensive. Why just dont make it a one way up and hike back down (surely depending on where you start your Journey)? Did that a couple of times over the last years, the landscape is absolutely beautiful.
An update, I revisited the Harz recently and finally got to the top of the Brocken, by train, after a 31 year break, excellent weather could see for miles, little evidence or mention of the border and cold war use of the site, this video was an excellent insight as to what to look for after all these years, well worth a visit.
Good on you mate
Damn, man! Your cold war docs are outstanding! I chimed in before but early 80's USAF stationed up in these parts. What a pissing contest with the east.
Sometimes I got some time off, which was hardly ever, my German girl friend at the time and I would visit the Harz area. Goslar, etc. I remember looking at the the Brocken with binocs. This was 1984 or so. The Iron Curtain was real back then.
Keep up the good work Andy! Hope you are making some money on these vids.
I was based at the Army Mount Training Centre Harz in Silberhütte in 1988 (near Sankt Andreasberg,10km from the old border)
I met my wife up there and visit the Harz Mountains a lot (I now live in Bielefeld)
My Father in Law was amongst the people who walked up the Brocken to the Soviet station that first time.
We (my wife and I) walked up the Brocken in March 1990.The listening station was still in full swing and I remember seeing Soviet troops still patrolling the defences.
I have a load of stories from those first few months after the wall fell of travelling over to the DDR,bribing border guards so I (as a brit) didnt have to buy a Visa (German citizens were allowed to cross by just showing an "Ausweis") Standing next to occupied Watch towers to take photos.Buying reat cheap East German booze with "West Marks".
I also travelled to West Berlin in April 1990 using the German train (I left the Army funnily enough in November 1989) and via Checkpoint Bravo and Alpha by car on the way back,with a day trip over to East Berlin via Friedrichsstraße (Tränenpalast) including Visa,changing West marks to East,passport control and stamp (all very spooky I remember)
Love your cold war videos.Keep.em coming 👍
"I was based at the Army Mount Training Centre Harz in Silberhütte in 1988"
I was wondering how this worked as Silberhütte is a town in the East part.
Did not know that Silberhütte was also a local centre of St. Andreasberg.
I know a guy who was also at the border in the British army. he told me that they throw Mars bars over the line to provoke the East German soldiers.
Thank you for this great breakdown on the old Soviet SIGINT site and inner German border. I visited the Brocken in March, 2017, so it was snow and ice all the way. I took the narrow guage steam train from Wernigerode. I was disappointed more mention was given to the legend of the Broken Witches than local Cold War history. Our Field Station Berlin is in shambles. Too bad more effort isn't taken to maintain these historical sites. Keep em coming.
Very informative! Appreciate your taking the time to explain the Cold War geography, technology, border security features, etc.
By December 1989, some of the buildings occupied by the Soviets were in dire need of improvement, especially considering the winter weather conditions there. Some German buildings had at least had new windows a few weeks earlier, but there was no paint to paint the wooden window frames in time before the onset of winter.
As an even bigger Cold War geek than yourself (perhaps) watching this reminded me of an old German MDR documentary I watched a while ago. Just found it again, it's from 1994 or at least it was released then, it's the first TV crew allowed inside when the Soviets were still there. According to it they stopped being operational in 1992 but a skeleton staff of Sovs remained which you can see in the documentary, and the duty officer Igor lets them in and shows them a part of the accomodation. It's called ''Guck & horch - Doku 1994 - die letzten Russen verlassen den Brocken'' (Look & listen - 1994 documentary - the last Russians leave the Brocken)
Great info!
I've already said it once but I'm gonna say it one more time: you're better than the BBC.
Wow, what a fantsaitc film about this significantly location in the cold war. As a young lad the view from Torfhaus to the Broken mountain in the autumn of 1988 was my first impression of what it looked like to live in in a devided country, continent and world. In the autumn of 1989 we visited not the Hartz mountains, but the town that was known as Karl-Marx-Stadt back in the GDR, just weeks before the GDR came ton it‘s end. In the autumn of 1990 the same impression from Torfhaus was my first image of what it looked like when the cold war was over. I still remember the drive my parents took me from Braunlage to Elend (remember, all the roads were so new that they were on no map and the roads in the border area in East Germany were also not very accurate) on West German maps). Back in 1990 the tourist infrastructure was still very basic but some people bought field kitchen equipment from East German army surplus and sold pea soup to the tourists and I will never forget the smell and taste of it. Later on I hiked the Brocken summit a lot of times but every time I cross the former border a shiver runs down my spine because of the unique history of this location. Oh, btw, the climate is also very special up there. There is a kind of tree line as trees are unable to grow on the summit due to the inclement temperatures on wind speeds most of the time.
"Elend" means misery in German. So there is a village called 'misery'.
Must be fun to live there.
Around 5km next to it is a village called 'Sorge' which means 'worry'
This was an absolutely fascinating tour of a piece of Cold War history I had never heard of before! I was just a kid when the wall came down, and didn't really understand how monumental it was; the more I learn, the more amazing this history becomes. I was particularly struck by the story of the Soviet commander bringing tea to the protestors. It's so easy for us to remember the Soviets as cold, passionless monsters; stories like this really remind us that we're all human. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Again, watching your video on this Cold War listening post was an education.
Great stuff man, you're gonna have higher sub count than me in under a year. Fantastic stuff!
Just discovered this channel and it is a gold mine. I’m around 30 years old so I don’t have any first hand experiences with our lovely eastern neighbors from the communist era. In the formerly neutral home country of mine, the cold war is seriously underrepresented in school curriculums so it’s refreshing and illuminating to hear grass root level stories and experiences from a western perspective.
That was extremely interesting! I didn’t know anything about it but I’ve read much about the allied installation at Teufelsberg in Berlin. I’m happy the algorithm rightly thought I would be interested in this. Subscribed. Cheers!
This is truly fascinating stuff. Thank you Andy. And thank you for your service.
From 1978 to 1980 I was stationed on Mt. Meissner in the german tower (FmKp 947) just near the american installation (331st ASA Company). Depending on the weather conditions we were able to watch the sovjet station even above the clouds. It was the best time of my life...
As a boyscout around the mid 90's I climbed the Brocken from Torfhaus. The area was still full of remains of the border, especially the East German concrete access roads. Also interesting was that on our maps the East German and West German sides didn't line up correctly, so it was one of the few times I actually had to use a compass to navigate! Also interesting was that we were dropped in Torfhaus late in the evening and in the morning the weather was terrible and so foggy that on the summit we hardly could see more than 15 meters in front of us. I think the Soviet foundations were still there, though. Only a day later when I saw a postcard of the Brocken I realized in the mist we completely missed the huge antenna and domes up there! It would take 3 visits to the Harz mountains before I actually saw the Brocken from a distance. So yes, the weather is often cloudy!
Another great upload. Thanks for the walk through. I have never seen this covered before.
Very interesting, thank you! It’s a pity they didn’t leave some of the towers and walls in place to look at.
A fascinating and captivating documentary; nicely presented and researched. The whole background story seems ripe for a movie or spy novel (…perhaps done already). Thank you for your military service in this area; it adds credence to the narrative. I can only imagine how exciting it must have been for you, as it was an obvious landmark to you during your service. An excellent video….well done!! 👍
I worked at an American version - Field Station Augsburg. Most of what we did there is still hushed up, but there's a lot of interesting history there. 🇺🇲🇩🇪🇬🇧
Veteran of FS Berlin (T-Berg), twice, and FS Augsburg. Interesting Cold War history .
That rings a bell. Does "Marinefernmeldestab 70" say anything to you?
I've just moved to Augsburg and immediately noticed your antenna on the map.
there was also Bad Aibling, near munich,
@@LMB222 You're a fortunate person! Augsburg is as good as city living really gets.
I went up on the train "hexen express" in March of 2000. And I learned that every girl from Hartz is a witch
Was at RAF Gutersloh from '84-'89 and during a visit to the Hartz, the wife and I joined a group of Germans who went down to the boarder fence, and have photos of the guard tower, a very eerie experience!
This is a remarkable content! Wow. Endless thanks for the documentary Andy! :)
Great stuff Andy. Good to see you getting the views you deserve. Keep up the excellent work.
Wow, what a lovely video, what a great, excellent work. Cannot thank you enough for it. Grown up in Hamburg as a West-german guy, married to a woman from Wernigerode, Schierke, Brocken, Elend, Harz, etc. became a second home for me. Thanks again, Chris.
How extraordinarily fascinating. I appreciate the effort put in to create this. This history is so interesting, and it blows my mind it was all so recent. And the Russians/Soviets really love those concrete slabs they drop over mud.
Greetings from about 15 kms west of the Brocken. I find it always interesting to hear, what people from abroad have to say about the place I am living. 😉
"To watch it kick out enough black smoke to ruin Greta Thunberg's entire childhood was a site to behold!"
🤣👍 Hilarious Comment, and that alone deserves a hit on the 👍 Button. But jocularities aside, this was such a fascinating and detailed account of the Cold War History of the Brocken, that I felt a Subscribe was in order too!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Keep'em coming, Brother!
Another very interesting video on the topic of "cold war".
I spent my military service in the City of Clausthal-Zellerfeld, from there you had a perfect view of the Brocken, but unfortunately the STASI was also able to see what we had done there.
There were similar objects with the Royal Army in Langeleben, as well as with the TORII Towers of the U.S. Army next to the City of Schöningen (Elm).
Also interesting objects of the cold war in the region.
Maybe we'll see a video about these locations here?
Thanks again - and I look forward to future posts.
I find it a shame that the wall was removed. It would be a very interesting historical site if they kept these things standing, and furthermore, it would put the place in better context.
As one who spent three years growing up in the mid 1980s in West Germany and got to visit Berlin during this time, I appreciate these videos. (And people wonder why I studied history in college.)
do you think, the Broken complex could block Orfordness over the horizon cobra mist radar?
That was a very interesting video. Never knew that story
An interesting and informative video. The Brocken of course is famous. In the spring of 1992 I visited NW Poland. The Cold War infrastructure at the Polish/German border was still intact with parallel fences, a sand strip between them and watchtowers. I assumed it was simply a Cold War relic. But no - when I started taking pictures a helicopter appeared from over the sand dunes and hovered above my head … and a Polish border guard holding a pistol approached me and started shouting in Polish, a language I couldn’t understand though I did understand his message. I was surprised the Cold War border was still being maintained as late as 1992. These days the border is completely open.
John le carre mentioned in his autobiography that the Czech secret services spied on unified Germany as late as 1997 because they somehow they didn't get the message that we were friends by that time.
Polish people seem to have quite good memories, though they may not voice any opinions... I'm sure even now that Poland and Germany are NATO/EU partners, Poland keeps an eye on everyone, not just the Russians 😉 After so much history I'm sure they still have serious trust issues... (for good reason, atleast historically... I doubt Poland will ever be forcefully occupied again, unless it's by extra terrestrial aliens or by people wearing full chem/bio gear years after a direct nuclear hit 😂 I'm thinking Poland is probably wanting a little revenge/redemption deep down 🤫) 😉👍
That was even still there in when I was there in 2006.
Because from 1995 to the end of 2007 this was the Schengen outer-border and the a main-route for cigarette smuggling and human trafficking in "The wild 90ies".
When the border than finally come down in 2007/08 the very Catholic Poles where quite, mhm..., 'shocked' that right at the beach-border the German nude-beach starts... 😂
LOVE YOUR STUFF!! THANKS SO MUCH!! cheers
What a wonderful video. Thank you so much for a fascinating and well-explained breakdown of this historical remnant of the Cold War.
Absolutely Bazzin, mate. I've forwarded the link to a heap of my mates, in commemoration of our time exercising under the ever listening ears of the Brocken. Thanks very much for all your hard work!
Nice personal factual respectful Ytube video. In the sea of overproduced clickbait It's lovely to see some genuine content!
I appreciate that!
Hi Andy. Being an 80s Baby/90s Kid, all I got to see was the wall coming down, USSR collapsing (Red Square Riots were amazing back in August 1991) & Germany slowly rebuild itself into one country. I remember watching a WW2 documentary, where they showed a mountain in Berlin, which was built by piling up all the rubble on Berlin's flat landscape & because this mound of rubble was in the West, it was used by the West to build its own listening post/tower. I'm trying to find out more about it. Last I saw, it hasn't been maintained & left as a ruin.
I was 5 on November 9th 1989 when the wall fell. It's the only image I remember of that year. Like the TV pictures of the people in Berlin partying.
I wouldn't have understood why this was a big thing though.
Thank you for this video! I appreciate it! I grew up west of the Brocken and I could see it from my hometown on clear days about 60km away. During my childhood it was always a highlight when my parents took me up into the HARZ mountains to Torfhaus close to the border. Sightseeing the EVIL! Also I would thank you as a German that you BAOR guys stood with us and and defended us against the SU aggression. I have seen Chieftain tanks roaring through my hometown many times during the 70´s and 80´s performing NATO maneuvers LIONHEART, IRON HAMMER and you name it. By 94 I had become a GAF TORNADO WSO and flew over the Brocken after the Russians had left, making a turn and fly over my hometown just a few minutes later. What a relief that was! I remember that like it was yesterday!😃
Excellent video. Thank you!
Danke für das Video. Auch als (West) Deutscher habe ich viel neues gelernt.
I love your cold war videos. I was lucky to visit the Soviet Union & enter East Germany via checkpoint Charlie in my '20s. Your videos have all been extremely interesting. Could you keep on exploring the old East Germany. All will be extremely welcomed!
"Enough black smoke to ruin Greta Thunberg's entire childhood" had me LMAO.
the NSA was using the Teufelsberg station for the same purpose, trying to spy on the other side.
It's interesting to know that the East Germans and the Soviets had autonomy from each other on the mountain. What other areas did they have similar autonomy? Fascinating thank you for the content!
Not so much "autonomy", as "segregation". As in other Soviet Russian-occupied countries, there was always a degree of oversight by Russian authorities.
@@epicridesandtours so the same that the us and British in west Germany
@@anuvisraa5786 No. UK and USA were there alongside Bundeswehr/Luftwaffe. No oversight. Our job was to defend Western Europe from a Russian-led invasion.
Russian "liaison" personnel were more in keeping with the "Kommisars" of early Russian revolution days. Ensuring no-one strayed from the narrow path.
Excellent documentary!
Exactly 40 km to the south and about 10 km west of the Brocken there was a big radar station operated by the soviets. In times when NATO conducted maneuvers they set up heavily camouflaged mobile stations on prominent hills near the inner german border. I lived near of one of these hills so we had from time to time some military entertainment lol
Interesting movie! Been there 20 years back, took the train up and walked back down to the car.
Wish I knew all this interesting info back then. There were still remnants of the DDR clearly visible, even if you wouldn't be aware of it existence (but who wouldn't)
GDR socialism: "If it ain't broke, don't invest money to fix that old train and wait for it to die."
FGR capitalism: "If it's an ancient piece of garbage that people enjoy, charge 53€ to keep it running."
I walked up this mountain several times during the last decade.
Hated History in school it was flat and boring to me. I was a Maths/Computers person. However, you bring this all to life and at gone 2am, I'm watching this and following it all on a paper road atlas of Europe from 1995. Didn't realise the "east" was so far "west". Have to update my map. I can't see me ever doing it but always fancied walking along the east/west border. Wonder if anyone has ever done it? 🤔🤔
I imagine it’s only a matter of time until your channel blows up. Phenomenal videos.
Thanks.
Saw the Brocken and the border on a visit to Germany in 1984.
Great video, thanks. I visited the Harz six years ago, including the preserved East German border installation (as in my little photo here!). The train’s very enjoyable but I didn’t go beyond Schierke because it looks like only special pre-booked trains were going through to the Brocken that day. Your video’s very helpful in putting the area into context so hopefully I can visit again someday.
I just visited... your video is a great added value for my global understanding. Thanks a lot!
Our school class spent a week for cross-country ski training in the training hut of Braunschweig's soccer team, a few kilometers North of Torfhaus. That must have been around 1987 and the border was very much a geographic fact. Later, when you could go to the Brocken again, it was a big deal in the region, in particular for many old people who had been there before the occupation. After all, international travel used not to be as common as it became after the war and a journey to the Harz would have been the longest trip of their lives for many people in Northern Germany, in any case something very special.
For Harzer Schmalspurbahn, who have their central facilities in Wernigerode on the North edge of the Harz, it was vital to keep the steam engines running as a special attraction to their passengers. After all, the hike from Torfhaus is not that hard, most visitors would not use the train if it was not steam operated.
Witches are one thing, but on a clear day you can actually see the Brocken Ghost (Brockengespenst in German). It does not appear in the usual ghost hour between midnight and 1:00 am, but at sunset and it is an optical atmospheric phenomenon. With the Brocken singled out as the highest summit in the area, it casts a shadow in the atmosphere to the East, where you can sometimes see Halle and Leipzig. This shadow appears like a flat triangle and contrasts quite clearly with the zones to its side because as you have the sun in your back, you can see the illuminated sides of all atmospheric dust particles reflecting the sunlight in that general direction - except in the shadow. Unless you know that explanation, the effect appears fairly eerie.
interestingly enough west Germany kept steam until 1977
but whereas the east kept steam into the 90s due to a dead socialist economy the west had to keep steam going , in part, because of the exact opposite reason ie that the 'economic miracle' meant that there was just so much stuff to ship around
I visited this site in 2012 while attending a physics conference in Wernigerode. At the time I learned some of the history, but this video provided a lot more. As I recall it was quite cold and windy on the summit, though it was April. Great video.
Im from nearby. Thanks for the video!
Liked the Greta Thunberg joke too.
Cheers
What a great informative video as only an ex-soldier could do. It brings back a few memories, thanks. I saw the Brocken from a distance during my time in the RCT driving to and from Brunswick. We went through Torfaus several times.
Would have been a location that BRIXMIS would have visited, assuming that the original exclusion zone did not apply to their remit and original mission?
BRIXMIS would not have been able to get there it would definitely have been a PRA and the narks would very quickly have spotted a BRIXMIS vehicle and detained it.
Could you make a documentary about the tunnel from Berlin to Kleinmachnow? That would be cool 🙂
I climbed this mountain as 11 year old with a racing bicycle without getting off the bike. Towards the end the road to the top has more than 15% slope and all people that were wandering up that day were cheering me on I´m 37 now and still remember it as it was yesterday. I won´t do it again tho 🤣
unfortunatly the Brocken and upper Harz overall does not look as shown on the fotos. The trees are almost all gone or dead... very sad view
great film about a very interesting object. After seeing it, I definitely want to visit this place.
Thanks for another well researched upload. I'm sure you enjoyed researching and making it with a trip to Germany. Nice photo of you in noddy suit with smidge. Makes me wonder if you were in the Bn Int Cell? You wouldn't have a smidge in a rifle coy, or mortars platoon. It would explain your depth of knowledge and interest.
Why is it always british that explains everything from WWII onwards?
If you stand on the Brocken and look east, the next major rise in the ground is the Ural mountains.
Found this very interesting. I visited RAF Gutersloh in 1980 (July) as a CWO. We're were taken on a visit to the border. We were extremely close to the fence when an East German patrol came down their track. They stopped, got out and wandered over, started waving, we waved back.
We were told, on some days when the fog or mist was low, cigarettes could be thrown (the East German gaurds couldn't get good tobacco) across but the gaurds made sure they weren't spotted picking up the cartons.
I grew up in Western Germany and live in Landkreis Harz now, and I walked up to the Brocken several times recently, so this was real interesting for me! //
Randomly suggested. Great insight. Never knew this place existed. Nice video!
Great video! I visited the Brocken in 1997 or so via train from Werniergerode. The Soviet installations were gone and the remaining structures all padlocked, but the views were wonderful.
Very interesting video. 👌
It is also the home of the Brocken spectre, where you cast a giant shadow on cloud or fog.
Always a pleasure to watch your cold war content, well researched, always something new to discover. On a regional German TV channel they presented Stasi "Operation Hamster" this year. How Stasi tried to track down secret US Probes in East German. Like a electronic Cat and Mouse game. With Brocken Station etc. just crazy the amount of surveillance on each sides. Greets from Germany.
Your formal self 1:16 as a soldier on the ground established your solid career later in your life.
I enjoyed your work Andy! Very interesting.Good and clear explanation from someone who've been there back in the day.Well done!
Quite fitting the town of Elend (Misery in german) wasin east germany
Simply put….a brilliant presentation. Love all your presentations. Thank you.
Absolutely love the coverage of the Cold War. Those who fought and died during it need to be better remembered. This type of material accomplishes that end. Thank you.
Very informative video. I was in Korea in 1980-81 & 85-86 so I missed the Cold War in Europe but I heard about Berlin and the border from many friends stationed in Germany at that time. Thanks for making this video.
Fascinating stuff. Great presentation. Thanks !
Loved the Greta Thunberg joke ROFL!!!😀
Good Stuff, especially for a radio nerd like me. Thanks for your service!!
Just subscribed. This was a really cool and well researched video. Thank you!
great video very intersting it's nice too see those overlooked apsects of the cold war that was forgotten quickly
Don't forget to have a Schierker Feuerstein...!
Witchcraft, spies, secrecy... what a 12th housy place.
That was really interesting. Thanks for sharing this.