L.S. People on the bridge over the Aller (river frontier between Niederschasen and the Soviet zone.)



M.S./L.S. more people streaming towards turnpike



C.U. Old people with fieldglasses looking into the zone.



L.S. View through barbed wire into zone.



M.S. People on the bridge



C.U. Child near barbed wire



L.S. The bridge, filled with people.



L.S. The frontier river "Aller".



50 ft plus X



M.S./Ls Bridge seen sideways with crowd



M.S. Crowds near barbed wire on the bridge




Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: For weeks the Major of Oebisfelde, Karl Sommer, has been in touch with the representative of the refugees from the Eastern Zone, to allow the zone between east and West to be opened for Whitsun. Safe con??? has been granted to the visitors from the west, to see their former homesteads again. But by order of the SED "Socialist Unity Party" this official permission had to be withdrawn by the Mayor Karl Sommer.

650 former inhabitants of Oebisfelde, who left the town in 1945 had been coming from all parts of Germany to take advantage of the permission to see their relatives. Now they could only glance through the barbed Wire fences upon their former hometown. Old people especially were deeply disappointed. Again and again they took up their field glasses, in the hope to see one or the other of their relatives and friends.

According to the west german police, the place had been so well sealed up, that the people of Oebisfelde were unable to come even near the barbed wire fence, to greet their dear ones.

Opening of the Zones.

Wolfenbuttel: For the first time since the division of Germany it is planned to open a hither to closed passage between the Soviet-and West German Zone, on the second Whitsun Holiday, albeit only for visitors to the "Heinst-meeting". The Mayor of the little frontiertown (Soviet Zone) of Oebisfelde has invited all former inhabitants of the town, now living in the western zone, to come to the old "Homestead".