Grostenquin, France
Vacation Photographs

The year is 1963, and we find ourselves at the peak of the Cold War.

The Communist Bloc is in the process of constructing the "Berlin Wall".

Canadian military personnel are "not allowed" to travel to Communist bloc countries - for obvious reasons.

Canadian civilians, on the other hand are not as restricted to these areas. While not encouraged - civilians could travel to some locations. Donald Hodgson was a civilian - employed as a teacher at Lorraine High School in the 1962-1963 school year. He elected to make a trip to Berlin - which was, as we all know, located darn smack in the middle of what was then "East Germany".

Our thanks to Don for sharing these memories with us.


Click on the description text to view the photograph.
  1. The "Berlin Wall" as seen from within West Berlin - April 1963.
    Construction of the Berlin Wall had just started.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  2. East German border guards as seen from the west - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  3. The windows on adjacent buildings had their windows bricked closed in an attempt to stop jumpers from escaping to the west - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  4. This memorial, in West Berlin, was dedicated to a "jumper" who was killed while trying to escape to the west - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  5. A memorial park located in East Berlin - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  6. Another view of the memorial park in East Berlin - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.

  7. The statue at the end of the memorial park in East Berlin - April 1963.
    Courtesy Donald Hodgson.


Photographic Credits

All photos are used with permission.

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Updated: September 10, 2003