BARRIER
Border experiences:
Barrier and gatehouse
123/3
Checkpoint
"No entry!" - This was initially also true in the Friedland border crossing camp: Until 1952, the British military-administered reception camp for war refugees, displaced persons and released prisoners of war was not freely accessible. Two barries manned by with checkpoints closed off today's Heimkehrer Straße, which still passes across the camp. At that time, the facility was separated from the rest of the village of Friedland. Only those who had valid reasons or had their place of work here were allowed to pass the entrance. This changed in 1952, when the British military handed over the complete administration of the camp to the Federal Republic, more precisely to the state of Lower Saxony. The barriers in the camp were then symbolically dismantled to signal the openness of the border transit camp. Since then, the site has been open to the public.Gate
At the entrance to the eastern camp there is still a barrier with a gatekeeper's house. They were intended to ensure that no unauthorised vehicles enter the site or that there were no conflicts. The barrier represents a perceptible boundary that effectively separates the camp from the rest of the village without denying access. In doing so, it also makes official responsibilities clear: while Heimkehrer Straße and St. Norbert-Platz belong to the municipality of Friedland and the Catholic Church, the responsibility for areas and buildings in the border crossing camp lies with the state of Lower Saxony, or more precisely the Lower Saxony State Reception Authority (LAB). Over time, the village has grown around and into the facility.Normal state
For residents of the border transit camp in particular, this openness is a positive signal that enables them to move around the village and the grounds themselves. Compared to other initial reception facilities, Friedland is an absolute exception. Most of them are fenced off and do not allow outsiders to enter and the residents less freedom to move around. Due to the special situation in Friedland, encounters between locals and residents are part of the norm here, even if they usually occur only in passing. For the municipality of Friedland, the border crossing camp is also an important employer: many people from the region are employed by the federal authorities and the administration of the LAB or work for the charitable institutions in the camp. For decades, the border transit camp has therefore been an integral part of the village and the municipality.
Checkpoint
"No entry!" - This was initially also true in the Friedland border crossing camp: Until 1952, the British military-administered reception camp for war refugees, displaced persons and released prisoners of war was not freely accessible. Two barries manned by with checkpoints closed off today's Heimkehrer Straße, which still passes across the camp. At that time, the facility was separated from the rest of the village of Friedland. Only those who had valid reasons or had their place of work here were allowed to pass the entrance. This changed in 1952, when the British military handed over the complete administration of the camp to the Federal Republic, more precisely to the state of Lower Saxony. The barriers in the camp were then symbolically dismantled to signal the openness of the border transit camp. Since then, the site has been open to the public.Gate
At the entrance to the eastern camp there is still a barrier with a gatekeeper's house. They were intended to ensure that no unauthorised vehicles enter the site or that there were no conflicts. The barrier represents a perceptible boundary that effectively separates the camp from the rest of the village without denying access. In doing so, it also makes official responsibilities clear: while Heimkehrer Straße and St. Norbert-Platz belong to the municipality of Friedland and the Catholic Church, the responsibility for areas and buildings in the border crossing camp lies with the state of Lower Saxony, or more precisely the Lower Saxony State Reception Authority (LAB). Over time, the village has grown around and into the facility.Normal state
For residents of the border transit camp in particular, this openness is a positive signal that enables them to move around the village and the grounds themselves. Compared to other initial reception facilities, Friedland is an absolute exception. Most of them are fenced off and do not allow outsiders to enter and the residents less freedom to move around. Due to the special situation in Friedland, encounters between locals and residents are part of the norm here, even if they usually occur only in passing. For the municipality of Friedland, the border crossing camp is also an important employer: many people from the region are employed by the federal authorities and the administration of the LAB or work for the charitable institutions in the camp. For decades, the border transit camp has therefore been an integral part of the village and the municipality.