Wall revives memories of Berlin in German village

Heiligendamm (Germany), Feb 8: Wolfgang Heene, who helped communist East Germany build the Berlin Wall as a young soldier in 1961, has retired to a sleepy village on the Baltic shore -- which in turn is having a barrier built around it.

The 2.5-metre high steel and cement security ''fence'' being built to protect leaders at a Group of Eight summit is not a concern for Heene. He does not understand why so many Germans are making a fuss about it.

''I'm glad they're investing so much money in the place,'' said Heene, 64, pointing down his street with its broken paving stones and houses needing fresh paint.

''That all wouldn't be happening without the summit. They're fixing up the streets, the lighting and just about everything that needs fixing. It'll be great advertising for Heiligendamm and the village is going to be known around the world.'' The hamlet of 280 people about 250 km northwest of Berlin has already been thrust in the headlines after workers put up the first sections on January 15.

Officials call it a ''fence'', opponents, a ''wall''. It is a 12-km barrier topped by barbed wire, video monitors and sensors to detect movement.

Part of the 13 million euro security arrangements for the summit, the barrier is designed to protect world leaders when the resort hosts the summit in June.

Leaders of the group, comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States, are increasingly accustomed to protests at their annual summits.

The German office for the protection of the constitution has warned of possible attacks from far-left groups opposed to the policies of the G8, as well as a threat from terrorist groups.

The barrier's opponents say revives totalitarian memories of the Berlin Wall, the symbol of Cold War Europe which came down in 1989.

'Lack of Taste'

''They're trying to create a democracy-free zone in there and showing a lack of taste by building a barrier like this in a country that had a bad experience with walls,'' said Monty Schaedel, a protester from the German Society for Peace.

''If these rulers believe that they need a wall to protect themselves and freedom, then freedom doesn't have a very bright future,'' added Schaedel, who is also a demonstration coordinator and expects up to 100,000 protesters in the town in June.

Other residents are uncomfortable about the fence that will isolate their village from the world for several days. They have been told they can come and go with passes -- and guests must register to be admitted. ''This definitely reminds me of the Wall,'' said Siegfried Massopust, a retired office worker, watching cement foundations being prepared next to a patrol track. ''It's over the top. All the cost and trouble they're going through is totally out of line.'' Heiligendamm, Germany's oldest Baltic resort, is striving to restore a reputation as an elegant holiday and summer destination for high society after falling into disrepair during the communist era.

It was first used for sea-bathing in 1793 by the Grand Duke Frederick Francis I, on the advice of his doctor. President George W Bush briefly visited last year.

During the Nazi era, Heiligendamm was a popular resort often used by Adolf Hitler. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini also came along as did top Nazis Hermann Goering and Joseph Goebbels.

Defending Fence

Local officials defend the new temporary fence and dismiss comparisons with the Berlin Wall.

''I grew up in communist East Germany and I don't think you can compare this to the Berlin Wall,'' said Axel Falkenberg, police spokesman coordinating the summit. ''Everyone who knows what East Germany was like would tell you this is different.'' Frank Neumann, head of the fencing firm that has 15 weeks to put up the barrier, said he was delighted to get the biggest order in his company's 16-year history.

''It would have been a bad situation if some other company from outside got the contract,'' said Neumann.

He also dismissed comparisons with the Berlin Wall.

''Everyone knows that this fence will be taken down after the summit is over,'' Neumann said.

The 500 tonnes of steel needed for the barrier was enough to build a ship, he said. To discourage anyone from trying to tunnel beneath it, construction workers have rammed 50-cm long steel grating into the ground.

Reuters