THE EXCLAVES OF WEST BERLIN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02989061
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: November 6, 2017
• Case Number: F-2017-00554
• Publication Date: March 1, 1967

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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence Report
THE EXCLAVES OF WEST BERLIN
March 1.967
CIA/BI GR 67-15
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WARNING
This document contains information affecting the national
defense of the United States, within the meaning of Title
18, sections 793 and 794, of the US Code, as amended.
Its transmission or revelation of its contents to or re-
ceipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
GROUP I
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
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CONTENTS
Page
Page
Introduction 1
I. Origins 1
II. General Characteristics 2
III. Exclaves Attached to Bezirk Zehlendorf . � � 3
IV. Exclaves Attached to Te-ii--.rk Spandau . � � � 4
V. Eiskeller 4
VI. Prospects 5
Table
(following page 5)
Exclaves of West Berlin
Map
(following page 5)
The Exclaves of West Berlin (55704)
�E�T
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THE EXCLAVES OF WEST BERLIN*
Introduction
The disposition of a number of small exclaves claimed
by West Berlin will be a thorny if secondary issue in the
event of negotiations to settle the status of the city.
These exposed outliers are physically separated from West
Berlin by East German territory. They are significant
mainly because they provide the USSR with a ready means
of testing Western resolve. Their status is uncertain be-
cause of the failure of the Allies to establish definite
city boundaries at the conclusion of World War II. From
time to time the Soviets and the East Germans have chal-
lenged the legality of Western claims to certain of these
areas and the right of exclave property owners and resi-
dents to transit intervening East German territory. Al-
though the controversy has been dormant in recent years,
it could be revived should the USSR deem such a course
advantageous.
I. Origins
The origins of individual exclaves are obscure. They
may be traced to the subdivision of villages and rural
estates before World War I, as the fragmentation of land
and administrative areas is an ancient feature of German
rural settlement. Their continuation to the present is a
consequence of the agreements that established Allied ocu-
pation areas and responsibilities at the end of World War
II -- the Protocol signed in London on 12 September 1944
and the subsequent amendment to that agreement of 26 July
1945. According to these agreements "Greater Berlin" was
designated a special area to be occupied jointly by the
signatory nations -- the United States, United Kingdom,
France, and the USSR. The city was specified to be the
territory identified as "Greater Berlin" in the Prussian
Law on the Formation of the New Municipal Community of
27 April 1920. It was further stipulated that Bezirke
boundaries within "Greater Berlin" were to be those es-
tablished by the 27 March 1938 decree published in the
Amtsblatt der Reichshauptstadt Berlin.
* This report was produced solely by CIA. It was pre-
pared by the Office of Basic Intelligence and coordinated
with the Offices of Current Intelligence and National
Estimates.
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Problems regarding the legal status of exclaves arise
from the failure of either the 1920 law or the 1938 decree
to describe adequately the boundaries of "Greater Berlin"
and its constituent communities. "Greater Berlin" was cre-
ated by the union of 94 formerly independent administrative
areas, ranging from large urban settlements to small vil-
lages and rural estates. Some of the areas incorporated
apparently were fragmented into sections before 1920, and
the law of that year did not stipulate their precise exter-
nal boundaries. While the 1938 decree described the inter-
nal boundaries of the Berlin Bezirke, it also failed to
establish the exterior limits of the city. The continuing
uncertainty about exclave status reflects the ambiguity of
these documents.
II. General Characteristics
(See Table following page 5)
Even the number of exclaves is a matter on which there
is no general agreement. West Berlin claims there are 11,
but some of these are not shown on most West German city
plans because of their minuteness or distance from the
city (see Map 55704); most East German and Soviet maps
acknowledge the existence of only 6 or 7. West Berlin
maintains that a 12th area, known as the Eiskeller (Teu-
felsbruch), is not an exclave. Five of the exclaves claim-
ed by West Berlin are grouped administratively with Bezirk
Zehlendorf and six with Bezirk Spandau; only four are cur-
rently under the effective control of West Berlin.
All of the exclaves claimed by West Berlin are located
southwest or northwest of the city. The nearest are but a
few yards away and the most distant are only about 4.5
miles beyond the city limits. In terms of area, economic
worth, and population, none of them are of importance. Al-
together they comprise only 282 acres; they range in area
from less than 1 to about 117 acres; more than half are
smaller than 10 acres. Except for the village of Stein-
stUcken, which is chiefly residential, the bulk of the land
in exclaves is used for agriculture -- mostly meadow and
garden -- or for other nonurban purposes. Only two exclaves
SteinstUcken and WUste-Mark -- are definitely known to be
inhabited; in addition, a few persons may reside in Finken-
krug, which is under East German control. The Eiskeller
area also has a small number of residents.
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III. Exclaves Attached to Bezirk Zehlendorf
Of the five exclaves claimed by West Berlin and joined
administratively to Bezirk Zehlendorf in the American sec-
tor, only two -- SteinstUcken and WUste-Mark -- are under
effective West Berlin control; together they account for
89 percent of the total area (95 acres) of the exclaves
subordinate to that Bezirk.
SteinstUcken, located nearly half a mile south of Zeh-
lendorf, is by far the most important of the West Berlin
exclaves, and it has been the focus of most of the past con-
troversy over exclave status. Its permanent population has
fluctuated between 150 and 200 persons during the entire
postwar period. A varying number of so-called "second" res-
idents, persons who live in West Berlin proper or in West
Germany, are permitted to visit relatives or friends in
SteinstUcken, and designated individuals are allowed to
enter the exclave for professional, service, or supply pur-
poses.
The Soviets and the East Germans have not formally ques-
tioned the status of Steinstficken as part of the American
sector of Berlin since 1952, but they have periodically ob-
structed access to it across East German territory. Most
of this harassment has been directed against nonresidents
using the single road available for travel between Stein-
stUcken and West Berlin. Residents of the exclave, on the
other hand, generally have been allowed relatively free
movement between these points.
Wiste-Mark, the largest of the Zehlendorf exclaves, is
situated southeast of SteinstUcken and about 0.7 mile south
of the West Berlin border. It consists almost entirely of
farmland. Other than the one permanent resident of the
area, only two persons -- a tenant and a farmhand -- are
permitted entrance from West Berlin. Soviet and East Ger-
man authorities have not interfered with the free movement
of these individuals since June 1958.
Lying nearly 1.75 miles south of Zehlendorf, the Nuthe
Wiese exclave has been incorporated for all practical pur-
poses into East Germany. This exclave consists of farm-
land and at the time it came under East German control it
did not have permanent residents. The land in this exclave
is believed to have been incorporated into the field system
of adjoining properties. Access by residents of West Berlin
has not been permitted since about 1952.
- 3 -
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�
Parcels A and B are two microscopic exclaves that lie
only a few yards from the West Berlin border within the
small East German salient extending north of Glienicker
Lake. Other than the fact that they are claimed by West
Berlin, nothing is known about them. They have been under
East German control during the entire postwar period and
have never been mentioned in discussions or documents per-
taining to exclaves. Because of their extremely small
size they are overlooked on all but large-scale maps.
IV. Exclaves Attached to Bezirk Spandau
The six exclaves of West Berlin that are administra-
tively subordinate to Bezirk Spandau have generally been
much less controversial than those of Bezirk Zehlendorf.
So far as can be determined only two of the exclaves of
this group -- Fichtewiese and Erlengrund -- are under ef-
fective West Berlin Administration; together they account
for about 5 percent of the total area (187.8 acres) of the
Spandau exclaves. Fichtewiese and Erlengrund are used as
weekend gardens by the members of two private societies
and their friends, the only persons allowed to transit the
narrow intervening strip of East German territory. About
325 persons are given this privilege. Neither Fichtewiese
nor Erlengrund has permanent inhabitants, although a num-
ber of cottages have been built on individual garden plots
The other exclaves of this group apparently are under
the de facto administration of East Germany. With the
possible exception of Finkenkrug, these exclaves probably
have no permanent inhabitants and are of little intrinsic
worth.
V. Eiskeller
West Berlin maintains that Eiskeller is not an exclave
because it is joined to the main part of the city by a nar-
row roadway lying within the legal city boundary. This
relationship is generally indicated on large-scale West
Berlin maps of the city. Most East German maps, on the
other hand, deny the existence of the connecting corridor
and show Eiskeller as a true exclave. Border fences par-
allel each side of the road, and at the present time there
are no barriers to obstruct traffic between Eiskeller and
West Berlin. Eiskeller has been the subject of several
past confrontations between the British and the authorities
of East Germany and the USSR, but the area and its access
road have been under the control of West Berlin and Western
authorities throughout the postwar period. The area has a
small civilian population and is occupied by a detachment
of West Berlin police.
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GT
VI. Prospects
West Berlin authorities will probably continue to main-
tain a claim to all exclaves. In the event of negotiations
to settle the question, however, discussion might well be
limited to areas actually under effective West Berlin con-
trol -- the exclaves of SteinstUcken, WUste-Mark, Erlengrund,
and Fichtewiese and the outlying Eiskeller. The USSR and
East Germany have challenged Western rights to these areas
in the past, and it is possible that in the future they may
attempt to abrogate or modify the agreements now regulating
travel and assert their own claims. Although Western author-
ities have not renounced their rights to the remaining ex-
claves, they may find it difficult to challenge the reality
of East German control.
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5,Fte
Exclaves of West Berlin
Name
Area
(Est. in Acres)
Population
Land Use
Remarks_a/
A. Exclaves attached
to Bezirk Zehlendorf
SteinstUcken
Wiste-Mark
Nuthe Wiese
Parcel A
Parcel B
B. Exclaves attached
to Bezirk Spandau
Erlengrund
Fichtewiese
Lasszinswiesen
Grosse Kuh-Lake
Finkenkrug
Falkenhagener Wiese
C. Eiskeller
(Teufelsbruch)
94.8
31.3
Oct 1951: about 200
permanent residents
Feb 1956: 150 per-
manent residents
Oct 1958: 169 per-
manent residents,
203 "second" resi-
dents
May 1962: 165 per-
manent residents,
346 "second" resi-
dents
Apr 1965: 181 per-
manent residents,
623 "second" resi-
dents
53.9 May 1966: 1 permanent
resident
9.0
0.3
0.3
187.8
1.2
8.4
33.1
20.5
7.2
117.4
Probably none
None
None
None
None
None
None
Probably a few
inhabitants
Probably no per-
manent residents
Probably about
10 permanent
residents
Residential
village
Agricultural
Agricultural
Vacant plot
in a pre-
dominantly
residential
district
Appears to
be part of
a roadway
Agricultural;
used by a
private so-
ciety for
gardening
"Civilian traffic to SteinstUcken travels along
a road approximately 1,100 meters long and 3
meters wide which connects SteinstUcken with
West Berlin. Inhabitants who are Steins-Woken
residents may use the access road if they pro-
duce a Berlin identification card (Personal-
ausweis), persons who have a second residence
in SteinstUcken must also produce a police reg-
istration certificate. Persons having a second
residence in Steins-Woken do not live there;
they are relatives and friends of permanent
inhabitants of SteinstUcken. Lists of the per-
manent and second residence citizens are sub-
mitted to the East Germans at intervals of
approximately six months for purposes of police
control. In addition to those mentioned above,
only the following persons are also admitted on
occasion to SteinstUcken: Certain doctors and
postal employees; Ambulances and fire brigades
without pass control; Certain trucks carrying
supplies, such as coal, wood, furniture, and
food."
"Wilste Mark is reached via the Helmstedt Auto-
bahn by way of Dreilinden. At the Soviet Zone
checkpoint, a road 300 meters long leads to the
Exclave. The single permanent resident may
enter upon presentation of his identification
papers. Otherwise only two other persons are
permitted to enter this area - the tenant and a
farm hand."
Under East German control; access from West
Berlin not permitted.
Under East German control; access from West
Berlin not reported.
do
"Entrance is restricted to members of the
Wochenendgemeinschaft Erlengrund e.V, (Erlen-
grund Weekend Society Inc.) and their friends,
totalling some 250 individuals. They enter by
way of a 100-meter long road from West Berlin
after presentation of identity papers and the
Society's membership card. A list giving the
names of the holders of these cards is main-
tained by the East Germans. There are no per-
manent inhabitants in Erlengrund."
do "This exclave is similar in nature to the Erlen-
grund exclave. It is used exclusively by a
private society, the Sport- und Wochenend-
.emeinschaft 1921 e.V. The same East German
controls apply to its membership of approxi-
mately 75 West Berliners,"
Agricultural
Natural
preserve
Mostly
wooded;
some res-
idential
Probably
agricultural
Agricultural
Under East German control. Access from West
Berlin not reported.
do
do
do
Not considered an exclave by West Berlin
authorities. Area and access road from Bezirk
Spandau are under control of West Berlin.
a. Data for SteinstUcken, WUste Mark, Erlengrund,and Fichtewiese are taken verbatim from: US
Mission Berlin, Berlin Accessways, Transportation, Communications and Utilities, May 1966,
Unclassified.
..trucatrf
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ENLARGEMENT A
Eiskeller
(Teufelsbruch)
Falkentiagen Girc
0
CN
ENLARGEMENT B
a)
Ct
..,Glienicker
�a Bricke
2
eL
cL
Parcel/f'
A
Parcel
Teufelsbruch-
---
Wiesen
Nieder-
Neuendorf
/
/
- SCALE 1.75.000
0 500 1000 1500 2000 Meters
I /
0 500 1000 1500 2000 Y Hakenfeldeards
Heiligensee
Fichtewiese
Erlengrund
Konrads-
hohe
Tegel-
ort
Klein-Glienecke
SCALE 1.15.000
O 100 200 300 400Meters
O 100 200 300 400 Yards
STRASSE
B6TTCHERBERG
/ w
'---r124,Airtisey_3SGEAS_
SCHWANT
MARWITZ
BOTZ0
I
Eiskeller ip
ufelsbruch
--\
�1pross4:&2
I L Kuillake
FALK EE
ST KE
AIRF
-1 RA8N
A1EISL
HENNIGSO
See Enlordement A
� � � -7-
1LHELMS
SEEBU
British Sectc
boundary in IS
amended in 1
GRi GLIENICK
55704 2-67
KLADO
arc s A&B
WAN SEE
'Enlargement
Steinst en
NSImi
HNSboRF
STOLPE
Chart�
RFVL
�
itiOSDOR
GROSSO ERE
/ll
Roads
SCALE 1:18.0,000
I
STATUTE MILES
KILOMETERS
Railroads
CIFILENBEC
Si
SCHILDO
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10
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SDORF
ONWALDE
f2DOPF
BRITZ
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ADEN BERG
0 1
BEE co
AIRFIE
CN .
o
0
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Comments
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ive
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
1
Date
23Mar66
29Aprbo
Text
711.e cheek th
sot accomplished;
says they will probably
hare to arrange for this.
GD/E h s rec response
now awai
c osures that will come through
Pearcy/State.
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II
- � I
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Due: Open
Date
Text
18Jan65 PIM written; work initiated
2Feb65 Writing to start early Feb.
2Mar65 Slowed down in Feb.-by more urgent work
for OCI
15Mar65 In abeyance
3May65 Research resumed
1Jun65 Typing of part of draft completed.
Most areas for which info.available
have been written. Still neces. to
locate -elusive info. on 2 exclaves.
30Jun65 To
1Jul65
Ret.to Br. Sent to OCI for comment and
later transmittal far field review
2Aug6 I Will go to
for review in Oct
3Jan66 I Draft text still in OCI awaiting action.
26Jan66 Ditto
Requester: OCI
63.22491 Exclaves of West BerliApproved for Release: 2017/11/01 CO2989061
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SECRET El CONFIDENTIAL
HMVX
RESEARCH ACTIVITY NOTICE
lif
UM
SUBJECT
The Exeiaves of West Bez'lit
PROJECT NUMBER
63.2249
SUBJECT CODE
REQUESTER
00I
REQUESTING OFFICE
OCX
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Requester originallr wanted historicalplocational and
TARGET DATE
Open
demographic informs ion on the West Berlin exclaves to
U.S.
ANALYST/BRANCH
include in an OCI bacicground paper supporting review
boundary problems. Draft report was submitted to OCI
with revest that copy be
to clear
EST. ANALYST MANHOURS
up several gaps. Tmmidiate need for paper passed and
OCI never sent
Although not urgent, the
need for this data still exists. OCI has agreed we should
update the paper and issue in final form.
COORDINATION REQUIRED FROM
CD/BI : To prepare about 9 maps.
OlhER CIA:
NON-CIA : Coordinate with Office of Geographer, Dept. 4f State
APPROVED
XX
CHIEF, Europe cinch, OD/BI DATE 9sep66
REPORT RECORD
TITLE
REPORT NUMBER
CIA/BI G
AREA CODE
SUBJECT CODE
PUBLICATION DATE
ANALYST/BRANCH
INITIAL NO. OF COPIES
MANHOURS EXPENDED
CLASSIFICATION
DISTRIBUTION
ANALYST
EDITOR
TYPIST
TS
C
STANDARD
S
U
LIMITED
FORM 2594
246
El CONFIDENTIAL
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iJ SECRET
(5)
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�: IN1ELLIGENCE AGENCY
-cography Division, ')RR
cct Initiation Memorandum
it3 Jan, 1965
i ect No,: 6., 2249
e
,ject of Proposed Propct: The Exclaves of West Berlin
2. S-,atement of_tobler.11; To contribute historical geographic, and demo-
nic data on the West Berlin exclaves to an OCI background paper supporting
;review of bc,Indaries and territorial claims in the area,
'
0
CCI
aesnonsible Analyst, Branch:
_ � � _ _ _ _ _ _
Cooperation Desired From:
Otter Divisions of GRA: D/GC
Other Parts of CIA: OCI
Outside CIA: State
imated Manhours in 1)/G0: 80
Target_Date for Issuance Open
$11,ri
D GG Pdblicatio CIA/RR:GB
N`r .
9.
,Comments: A. GM. may ultimately be in order, but we believe not yet,
t Dire RR Date
IfGcb�
T
Leography VIVision
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SENDER WILL CHECK CLAS_ ,CATION TOP AND BOTTOM
UNCLASSIFIED F-FT6NFIDENTIAL
x
SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIALS
1
Chib
2
AD/RR
3
OCh/b
/ klip-
4
5
D/GG/
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
X
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETURN
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
SIGNATURE
Remarks: .
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM. NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
WW/R11
-1
19Jan65
UNCLASSIFIED , CONFIDENTIAL-1X
SECRET 4
FORM 70. 237 Use previous editions (40)
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NINO
cumm INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
Geography Division, ORR
Project Initiation Memorandum
Date:
1. Subject of Proposed Project:
Project No.: C2, :2 ;L91
L
2 Statement of Proble
C-1"-1C441.-itat-
3. Requester: cc1
4. Responsible Analyst,
F4-14'"Q. (3."3-PiZ
A
(b)(3)
Branch:
5 Cooperation Desired From:
"3-ger"4-4
a. Other Divisions of GRA: Olcc
b. Other Parts of CIA: Oct
c. Outside CIA: 5//7E
6. Estimated Manhours in DiGG:
7. Target Date for Gempleartztha wit A
8 D GG Publication: ep-Pti-sti coyr re- �43
Aailf,__4,1-\
Approved:
Chief, Geographic Research Date
Assistant Director, OR R Date
7'44-
Y2--64-fr -4;4
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
Chief, Geography Division
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nrikiraRrALX.-1-1rf
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OCI- 07 41 -65
6. 3.
7 January 1965
MEMORANDUM FOR: Chief, Geography Division, ORR
FROM � Chief, Sino-Soviet Bloc Area, OCI
SUBJECT
Proposal for Joint OCl/ORR Research
Project
1. We propose that a study be made of West
Berlin's ten exclaves, and that of
the East Germany-Berlin Branch of OCI and
of your office undertake the research.
2. No such study ever has been done. Available
information often is contradictory and out of date.
The study proposed for could
be of considerable assistance if and when, as Secre-
tary Rusk recently proposed, the US review with its
allies the problem of boundaries and territorial claims
before proceeding to any negotiations with the USSR
over Germany.
GROUP I
Excluded from automatic
downgrading and
declassification
gIN-F-1-11ENTTid_
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