Berlin 1970 - Four Powers meet in Berlin
There was little world media attention to the "ambassadorial level" talks
held in Berlin on the status of the city. In Spring 1970, interest
was focused on the war in Vietnam and on efforts to control the development
and deployment of atomic weapons. Nevertheless, at the former German
Supreme Court building in the American sector of Berlin, important work
for diplomatic and military professionals was taking place, covered by
German media and a handful of people from the Allied countries: France,
Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
On the meeting dates, there was a kind of ritual. First would
come the additional West Berlin police and U.S. Army Military Police.
The U.S. Army Ordnance Corps specialists would check the site for bombs--
not an unreasonable precaution in that period.
Media personnel and a handful of curious civilians would converge.
A tiny photographer for the DPA (German Press Agency) would arrive with
his stepladder. Then the lower level diplomats would converge.
The limos came next. Here, the British staff roll through the gates.
Note some of the period touches: the MP sergeant is a veteran of
Vietnam, now in a rather different environment. The "video" cameraman
holds his 16 mm newsreel camera. If something important happens,
his film could be quickly processed and then flown to New York City for
broadcast the next day!
Continue
the photo series.
Return to
Photos/Aufnahmen table of contents.
