NEW BORDER FENCE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 11

NEW BORDER FENCE

High Tension Wires <N ■ZJ’.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BERLIN, February 15 East German workers had strung an electrified fence for about a mile and a quarter opposite the British sector border. West Berlin police said. The fence runs parallel to the existing treble line of barbed wire British officials confirmed that this is the first time that the East Germans have used electric high tension wires to fortify their border w:th West Berlin. The old barbed wire strips are strung out along 10ft high concrete pillars. Nowelectric wires have been stretched across w-ooden posts about two feet tall which adjoin the innermost line of concrete pillars. They were linked to a power line on Tuesday night. The West Berlin border with East Germany crosses mostly open country where East German police patrols are rare. East German guards survey stretches of the border from watch towers. Trip wires connected to alarm systems have been set up further inside East Germany. A West Berlin border policeman said the electric wires "make East Germany look even more like a concentration camp.”