“Death Strip”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29911, 27 August 1962, Page 9

“Death Strip”

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

LONDON, Aug. 26.

A “death strip” 150 ft wide is to be laid with land mines along the Berlin wall to make it escape proof, the “Sunday Telegraph” reported today.

In a report from a special correspondent in Berlin, the newspaper said this was learnt from the Eastern sector of the city. Construction of the mine strip would make it necessary to relay miles of gas and water mains and electricity and telephone cables.

The Communist authorities are known to be seriously concerned at the effect on world opinion of the number of escapes and attempted escapes, in spite of the wall, and the “shoot to kill” orders to border guards, the newspaper said.

Construction of the mine strip will be carried out by Communist workers. who have been selected and trained for the task, which will take several months. Every squad will be watched by an equal number of armed police. Priority on the “death strip” will be given to the four-mile section where railway lines form the sector boundary. Transport police have reported that this section is the hardest to control, as building a wall there has proved impracticable. Next will come several

miles of waterways which form another part of the 25-mile boundary. Other sections will then be selected in accordance with the number of escapes. The independent Hamburg newspaper, "Die Welt,” reported in a dispatch from Berlin that it had learnt from East Berlin sources that land mines were to be laid along the wall. Official confirmation of the report could not be obtained in West Berlin. Reuters said.