When the Cold War split Berlin in half, between East and West, one neighbourhood was trapped in the middle, and became a symbol of Cold War tensions.
For more than twenty years, the hamlet of Steinstuecken was caught in a tug-of-war between the Americans, the Soviets and the East Germans.
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Steinstuecken officially belonged to the U.S. Occupation Sector of Berlin. But, it was located outside the city boundaries, completely surrounded by East German territory. No West Berlin-owned roads or trails connected it to the city. It was a de facto Western island in a Communist sea.
We speak with Don Smith the author of Steinstuecken: A Little Pocket of Freedom which describes the challenges America faced in occupied Berlin and the courage so many West Berliners showed when facing East German soldiers on a daily basis.
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I am delighted to welcome Don Smith to our Cold War conversation…
Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated.
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