Pictured: General of the Army V. I. Chuikov and the President of the German Democratic Republic Wilhelm Pieck during Pieck’s 75th birthday, 3 January 1951, Bundesarchiv.
Number 56 of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany Lifting the Berlin Blockade Effective 12 May, Issued 9 May 1949
Pursuant to instructions issued by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the lifting of restrictions which, from 1 March 1948 onwards, have been imposed on communications, transport and commerce between Berlin and the Western Zones as well as between the Eastern zone and the Western zones of Germany, I hereby order:
1. That the arrangement in force up to 1 March 1948, for communications, transport and commerce between Berlin and the Western Zones as well as between the Eastern zone and the Western zones of Germany be re-implemented.
2. That railway services on the Berlin-Magdeburg-Helmstedt section be resumed with 16 trains, according to the Control Council decision of 10 September 1945, for the supply of the population of the Western sectors of Berlin as well as for the occupation troops of the U.S.A., Great Britain, and France, stationed in Berlin.
3. That the Autobahn Berlin-Michendorf-Magdeburg (bridge 8 km north of Magdeburg)-Helmstedt be reopened to highway traffic with the Western zones of Germany for British, United States and French occupation troops stationed in Berlin.
4. That the procedure in force for military and civil personnel of the British, American and French occupation troops, before 1 March 1948, be restored. Accordingly, the line of demarcation can be crossed at the checkpoints Marienborn and Nowawes without permits, and at other checkpoints with permits issued by the Soviet Military Administration Staff.
5. That the procedure in force before 1 March 1948, for the importation of goods into the Soviet zone of occupation and Berlin as well as for the export of goods from the Soviet zone and Berlin into the Western zones of Germany, based on commercial agreements and arrangements, with fixed permits be restored. Military freight belonging to the British, French, and United States Military Administration or to the occupation troops as well as the baggage and personal effects of the military and civil personnel of the said administrations is to be allowed to pass at the checkpoint Marienborn to Berlin and from Berlin without control and inspection.
6. Persons and freight have to pass the line of demarcation of the Soviet occupation zone of Germany at the following control points:
a) for railway and highway traffic: Herrnburg, station Schwanheide, 8 km North of Boizenburg; Bergen, 10 km west of Salzwedel; Oebisfelde, Marienborn, Ell rich, Arendshausen (Kirchgandern), Wartha, Facha, Sonneberg Probstzella, Gutenfürst;
b) for waterways: Wittenberge (on the Elbe), Kolonie Buchhorst (Ems-Weser-Elbe-Canal).
7. That pending the solution of the currency problem in Berlin, the existing procedure be upheld for taking marks of the German Notenbank, Westmarks and foreign money as well as other legal tender across the line of demarcation.
8. That in the area of Greater Berlin inter-sectoral police control be suspended.
9. That mail services between Berlin and the Soviet zone on the one side and the Western zones on the other on the railway lines Berlin-Helmstedt-Hanover, Berlin-Leipzig-Hof and Schwerin Lübeck be restored. At the same time, all mail services, admitted by the Control Council between Berlin and the Western zones as well as between the Soviet zone and the Western zones are to be restored. Packages, parcels and mail to be sent from Berlin to the Western zones, must be accepted at all post offices and railway stations of all Berlin sectors.
10. That the head of the transport administration of the Soviet Military Administration increase the number of repair shops and petrol stations on the Autobahn Berlin-Helmstedt.
11. The heads of the administration for telecommunication, traffic, commerce and finance as well as the Military Commandant of the Soviet sector of Berlin are instructed:
a) to issue, by 12 May, technical instructions in accordance with this order guaranteeing the execution of the instructions, issued by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, on the lifting of restrictions on communication, transportation and trade between Berlin and the Western zones as well as between the Eastern zone and the Western zones of Germany, as well as control over the lifting of all restrictions which from 1 March 1948, onwards have been imposed by the occupation authorities of France, Great Britain and the United States of America or by any one of them on communications, transportation and trade between Berlin and the Eastern zone of Germany
12. This order will become effective on 12 May, 0.01 am.
The Chief of the Soviet Military Administration and Commander of the Group of Soviet Occupation Troops in Germany
V. I. CHUIKOV
General of the Army
Chief of Staff of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany
G. S. LUKJANCHENKO
Lieutenant-General
Source: Chuikov, V.I. and Lukjanchenko, G.S. “Order Number 56 of the Soviet Military Administration in Germany Lifting the Berlin Blockade Effective May 12, 1949, Issued May 9, 1949.” In Documents on Germany, 1944-1985, 258-260. Washington, D.C.: US Department of State, Office of the Historian, Bureau of Public Affairs, 1985.
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