page_title: Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
hierarchical_section_title: Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic
caption_attribution_description: English: Bestenabzeichen der Grenztruppen der DDR 1986-1990
context_page_description: The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic was the border guard of the German Democratic Republic from 1946 to 1990.
  The Grenztruppen were the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the Inner German border, the GDR's international borders between West Berlin and West Germany respectively. The force belonged to the Ministry of National Defence from 1961, and was a service branch of the National People's Army until 1971 when it became directly subordinate to the MfNV. The Border Troops numbered approximately 47,000 personnel at its peak, consisting of volunteers and conscripts, the third-largest Warsaw Pact border guard after the Soviet Border Troops and Poland's Border Protection Troops.
  The Grenztruppen's main role was preventing Republikflucht, the illegal migration from the GDR, and were controversially responsible for many deaths at the Berlin Wall. At least 29 border guards were killed in the line of duty, and many faced criminal charges after German Reunification.
context_section_description: The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic (German: Grenztruppen der DDR) was the border guard of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1946 to 1990.
  The Grenztruppen were the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the Inner German border, the GDR's international borders between West Berlin and West Germany respectively. The force belonged to the Ministry of National Defence (MfNV) from 1961, and was a service branch of the National People's Army until 1971 when it became directly subordinate to the MfNV. The Border Troops numbered approximately 47,000 personnel at its peak, consisting of volunteers and conscripts, the third-largest Warsaw Pact border guard after the Soviet Border Troops and Poland's Border Protection Troops.
  The Grenztruppen's main role was preventing Republikflucht, the illegal migration from the GDR, and were controversially responsible for many deaths at the Berlin Wall. At least 29 border guards were killed in the line of duty, and many faced criminal charges after German Reunification.
caption: Enamel breast badge of the Grenztruppen der DDR (1986–1990)
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