Marty Gershen ©Stars and StripesGermany, April, 1961: A military policeman gives instructions to a woman who's about to drive the stretch of the autobahn through East German territory between Helmstedt and Berlin. He's showing her an aerial photo of the Helmstedt area, labeled with the positions of the U.S., Soviet, West German and East German checkpoints. Travelers were instructed not to stop, stray from the route, or communicate with East German soldiers (because doing so would acknowledge the sovereignty of East Germany). The trip was to be made within 2½ to four hours ... no more, no less.

RELATED MATERIAL: Stars and Stripes' 1961 story about traveling the Helmstedt-Berlin route.