The former border

From January 1, 1993 the European Union is a customs-free territory. This barrier at the former border between the small villages of Bourtange (The Netherlands) and Neurhede (Germany) reminds us of the days that it was very normal to stop and be asked for a passport or identity card. I can remember that very well.

The barrier is now a kind of monument and is placed next to the road. The sign says "closed between 10pm and 6,30am". So during these hours it wasn't possible to cross the border between the Netherlands and Germany on this particular road.
Both photos were taken from the German side; the text is in German.

Between East and West

The former "inner German border", making Germany into an 'East' and a 'West', also divided the Harz region in two separate parts. At the actual spot of this border is now a memorial stone that commorates the reunification of Germany with the words "Deutschland wieder vereint" ('Germany united again').

Along the road near the city of Braunlage is a sign that says that: Here, Germany and Europe were separated until 2:30 pm on November 12, 1989".

And on both sides of the road the former patrol road is still visible -even though trees have grown into it by now-: two parallel lines of perforated concrete blocks that ran beside the border. Guards used this all-weather road to 'travel rapidly to the scene of an attempted crossing' (info from Wikipedia).