The Last British Commandant in Cold War West Berlin Part 2 (137)

Aug 28, 2020

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This is the 2nd part of our conversation with Major General Sir Robert Corbett, KCVO, CB who was the last Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.

We join as I ask what were the British Army’s plans in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion of West Berlin.

We also talk about the momentous night of 9th November 1989 and a fascinating tale of a situation, which if handled differently could have sent the history of that night in a very different direction...

Sir Robert also recollects his experiences at the Checkpoint Charlie closure ceremony and at the Tag der Deutschen Einheit when on 3 October 1990 the two Germanies were officially reunified.

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I am delighted to welcome back Major General Sir Robert Corbett to our Cold War conversation…

There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode137/

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0:00 Introduction and Major General Sir Robert Corbett's experience in West Berlin

7:17 British army's plans and readiness for a potential Warsaw packed invasion

13:15 Major General Sir Robert Corbett's visits and experiences in East Germany

23:01 Recollection of the moment the Berlin Wall opened and the ensuing chaos

28:34 Interactions with Soviet soldiers and the changing relationship with East German border guards

36:37 Soviet reaction to the unfolding events and the bond between enemy soldiers

41:18 Major General Sir Robert Corbett's ongoing connection with Russia and Berlin

44:03 The departure of British troops from Berlin and the change in their status

47:05 The close-call confrontation at Checkpoint Charlie in 1961 and stories about German reunification

51:36 Reflections on the peaceful resolution of the Cold War and the importance of recording Cold War history

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