Bundesgrenzschutz

Federal Border Protection
*Bundesgrenzschutz*
Federal Border Protection; Bundesgrenzschutz
	BGS Federal Eagle (Bundesadler) worn from 1976 until 2001
Abbreviation	BGS
Agency overview
Formed	March 16, 1951 (renamed toBundespolizeion 1 July 2005)
Superseding agency	Federal Police
Employees	16,414 (1956); 38,000 (1999)
Annual budget	DM376 million (1970); €1.942 billion (2004)
Jurisdictional structure
Federal agency	Germany
Operations jurisdiction	Germany
General nature	Federal law enforcement; Gendarmerie;
Specialist jurisdiction	National border patrol, security, and integrity.;
Operational structure
Parent agency	Federal Ministry of the Interior
Notables
People	Anton Grasser,for first inspector; Udo Burkholder, for last inspector;

Bundesgrenzschutz(German:[ˌbʊndəsˈɡʁɛnt͡sʃʊt͡s]^ⓘ;abbreviation:BGS;English:Federal Border Protection) is the former name of the GermanBundespolizei(Federal Police). Established on 16 March 1951 as a subordinate agency of theFederal Ministry of the Interior,the BGS originally was primarily focused on protecting the West German borders. During their early days, BGS units had military structures, training and equipment. The law enforcement officers legally had militarycombatantstatus until 1994. A major part of the early BGS personnel joined the newly founded German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) in 1956 and thus significantly contributed to West Germany's rearmament. The BGS was renamed toBundespolizeion 1 July 2005. The change of name did not have any effect on the legal status or competencies of the agency, but rather reflects its transition to a multi-faceted police agency with control over border, railway and air security.

BGS Federal Eagle (Bundesadler) worn from 1952 until 1976

History

The newly established Federal Republic of Germany wanted to set up its own federalborder guardand police. The founding act of the Federal Border Protection (Bundesgrenzschutz,BGS) was adopted on 14 November 1950 by the federal cabinet and on 15 February 1951 by theBundestag.The BGS was established on 16 March 1951.

TheCold Warhad begun, but travel between East and West Germany was not yet restricted by theBerlin Wall(1961). German nationals could move freely from theDDRto theBRDin Berlin, but people attempting to cross illegally elsewhere were likely to be either commercial smugglers or espionage agents carrying contraband (e.g., radio transmitters.). Occupation authorities judged this could be better policed by a permanent force of Germans who intimately knew the border woods and mountains (rather than British or US troops who rotated out of Germany after a year or two) and at German rather than Allied expense. The BGS was organized along paramilitary lines in battalions, companies, and platoons, and was armed as light infantry. It remained a police force controlled by theMinistry of Interiorrather than by theMinistry of Defense.^[1]

A maritime border protection unit (Seegrenzschutz) was formed as part of the BGS on 1 July 1951.^[1]It consisted of approximately 550 members and was equipped with fourteen large patrol craft and several helicopters.

On 3 October 1953 the Bundespasskontrolldienst (passport control service), which had been established on 19 September 1951, was transferred to the BGS and was now deployed on the entire German border.^[1]

The BGS was initially a paramilitary force of 10,000 which was responsible for policing a zone 30 kilometres (19 mi) deep along the border. It eventually became the basis for the present national semi-militarised police force.^[2]On 19 June 1953 its authorized strength was expanded to 20,000 men, a mixture of conscripts and volunteers equipped with armoured cars, anti-tank guns, helicopters, trucks and jeeps. By 1956, it had a strength of 16,414 men. Upon the formation of theBundeswehrin 1955, over 10,000 members of the BGS voluntarily joined the new German military in 1956. TheSeegrenzschutz(Maritime Border Protection) was completely absorbed into theGerman Navythat year. A new maritime border protection unit was set up in the fall of 1964 as theBundesgrenzschutz See(BGS See; BGS Sea).

Although it was not intended to be able to repel a full-scale invasion, the BGS was tasked with dealing with small-scale threats to the security of West Germany's borders, including the international borders as well as theinner German border.It had limited police powers within its zone of operations to enable it to deal with threats to the peace of the border. The BGS had a reputation for assertiveness, which made it especially unpopular with East Germans, who routinely criticized it as a reincarnation of theZollgrenzschutzfrom the days ofNazi Germany.It also sustained a long-running feud with theBundeszollverwaltungover which agency should have the lead responsibility for the inner German border.^[3]

The passing of theGerman Emergency Actson 30 May 1968 relieved the BGS of its quasi-military tasks, because the Bundeswehr could now operate inside the Federal Republic in the case of an emergency. A military rank structure similar to that of the Bundeswehr was replaced in the mid-1970s by civil service-type personnel grades. The service uniform was green, but field units wore camouflage fatigues and, at times,steel helmetsand military training was still carried out.

AnAerospatiale SA.330J Pumahelicopter operated by the West German Bundesgrenzschutz in 1985

In 1972, the BGS became responsible for the security of theFederal Constitutional Court,the Bundespräsident (Federal President), the Bundeskanzler (Federal Chancellor), theForeign Office,and the Federal Ministry of the Interior.^[1]Although theCompulsory Border Protection Servicelaw is still in force, in 1974 the BGS became an all-volunteer enrollment force and in 1987 started recruiting women.^[1]

Among other things, it was equipped witharmored cars,machine guns, automatic rifles, tear gas, hand grenades, rifle grenades, and antitank weapons. All personnel on border and security duty woresidearms.Five units had light aircraft and helicopters to facilitate rapid access to remote border areas and for patrol and rescue missions. Some units were effectivelyMountain troopsbecause of their specialised training, equipment, and operational area (e.g.,Bavarian Alps).

Former BGS Eurocopter EC 155 with current markings but BGS dark-green paint

In addition to controlling Germany's border, the BGSAlert policeserved as a federal reserve force to deal with major disturbances and other emergencies beyond the scope of the regional police. The BGS guarded airports and foreign embassies, and several highly trained detachments are available for special crisis situations requiring demolition equipment, helicopters, or combat vehicles.

The BGS consisted four border protection commands, which included a total of eight border protection groups:Grenzschutzgruppen(GSG) 1 through 7, along with a maritime unit.

After shortcomings in regional state police procedures and training were revealed by theterrorist attack on Israeli athletesat the1972 Summer Olympics,a BGS unit known as Border Protection Group 9 (GSG 9) was formed to deal with counter-terrorism incidents, especially hostage situations. The GSG 9 was not integrated into any of the existing groups. It won world attention when it rescued ninety passengers on aLufthansa Flight 181airliner hijacked toMogadishu,Somalia,in 1977.

BGS canteen made in 1957

BGS Cap, in use until 1976

June 1990 saw the elimination of border patrols and control of persons at theInner-German border.^[1]UponGerman reunificationon 3 October 1990, the East GermanTransportpolizeiduties, and responsibility for air security in the new federal states, were taken over by the BGS. The German Railway Police (Bahnpolizei), formerly an independent force, was restructured under the BGS on 1 April 1992 in preparation for the railway's privatization. The (formerly federally run) railway system remains a federal competency and Länder police forces have no authority over the railways.

The strength of the BGS was 24,000 in early 1995.

Notable personnel

Weapons and Equipment

Helicopters

Gallery

BGS uniformsc. 1987
10th anniversary parade inLübeck,1961. Visible vehicles areMowag MR 8s.
10th anniversary parade in Lübeck, 1961. The vehicle in the foreground is aDKW-Munga.
Water cannon [Mercedes-Benz NG 2628 WaWe 90002006-08], Frankfurt (Oder) 12
HanomagAL-28 BGS Funkkraftwagen (Radio Car) L
ABundesgrenzschutzAlouette IIhelicopter patrols the West German side of the inner German border, 1985.
Members of the11th Armored Cavalrystop to talk with West German border police while patrolling the border between East and West Germany inM151light vehicles.
West German border guard, civilians and an East German border guard on opposite sides of the border line at Herrnburg near Lübeck.

References

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.Country Studies.Federal Research Division.

^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^fBundespolizei (2011)."Historie der Bundespolizei".Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2011.Retrieved11 August2013.
^Moncourt, André; Smith, J. (2009).The Red Army Faction, a Documentary History: Volume 1: Projectiles for the People.Oakland, CA: PM Press. p. 22.ISBN 978-1-60486-029-0.
^Shears, David (1970).The Ugly Frontier.London: Chatto & Windus.OCLC 94402.,pp. 96–97

External links

German language pages on the BGS

[bundespolizei1-1] Bundespolizei (2011)."Historie der Bundespolizei".Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2011.Retrieved11 August2013.

[2] Moncourt, André; Smith, J. (2009).The Red Army Faction, a Documentary History: Volume 1: Projectiles for the People.Oakland, CA: PM Press. p. 22.ISBN 978-1-60486-029-0.

[3] Shears, David (1970).The Ugly Frontier.London: Chatto & Windus.OCLC 94402.,pp. 96–97

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