From Fulda Gap as a memory: artists wanders through the history of the Cold War

From Fulda Gap as a memory: artists wanders through the history of the Cold War

In the dark shadow of the Cold War, the region led around Fulda, a strategic core point that was of enormous military importance during this time. According to hessenschau.de , NATO and the Warsaw Pact were at the threshold of a possible conflict should shape. The art student Len Oswald now undertook an impressive hike over 160 kilometers to research this place of military events, which is also part of his childhood.

Oswald went from Frankfurt via Fulda to Rasdorf and passed numerous historical sites, including the “Point Alpha” memorial on the Hessisch-Thuringian border. This memorial was once a US observation point and is now a symbolic place of remembering. Since 2015, Fulda has even been adding the "Point Alpha Community", a sign of the deeply rooted history and the legacy of the Cold War in the region.

The strategic value of the Fulda Gap

The term "Fulda Gap" describes a sensitive corridor that represents an important military route between east and west. According to wikipedia , NATO expected that armies of the Warsaw Pact would move in with a possible attack via this corridor to Frankfurt. The military extrapolation stipulated that the enemy troops could penetrate to the Rhine-Main area within two days, which could lead to a division of West Germany and the involvement of the Rhein-Main Air Base, the most important NATO air force base in Europe.

In order to confront this threat, the US armed forces in Fulda were concentrated in order to slow down a possible advance. Historian Tim Keller illustrates the despair of these defense plans, which was the last remedy to use nuclear weapons. As part of the so -called “zebra package”, there were 141 nuclear weapons in the region, which should be used in an attack on 114 goals, which would have resulted in the death of around 3.5 million civilians.

The legacy of the Cold War

Oswald reflects in his illustrated book "Fulda Gap" about the complex history and personal emotions associated with this military hell. His goal is to bring the critical chapter of this time back to consciousness. Even if he confronts the peaceful memories of his childhood with the merciless historical point, he realizes that the threat was never far away.

In the 1980s, awareness of nuclear armament changed. Protest movements and peace activists became more important because more and more people mobilized against the impending nuclear risk. According to Planet knowledge , the skepticism of the population grew towards NATO's arms. Human chains and large races became the voice of a moving society that was concerned about their future.

Oswald's journey of discovery is not only a hike through the landscape, but also a journey into the past that stimulates thinking about the vulnerability of regions and the precious nature of peace. His illustrated book is considered a valuable contribution to keep the teachings and memories from the time of the Cold War alive and to sensitize future generations.