November 05, 2019

Anna Murray 

Authorities in Berlin prohibited the actors from playing the role of “US soldiers” at the Cold War symbol, Checkpoint Charlie. The Berlin-Mitte Public Order Office pointed out that those actors would charge the tourists €4 for a picture. Furthermore, they would verbally abuse the visitors if they are unwilling to pay the fee. 

On the other hand, the lead of Dance Factory, Tom Luszeit, denied the accusation of molestation to the travelers and said they would go back to border post. The actors also claimed that they only accept the voluntary donation for the photo. Nonetheless, the Bild newspaper revealed that in good times, the actors could earn up to €5,000 per day. 

As the third checkpoint around Berlin, Checkpoint Charlie stood as the major site during the Cold War between the deadlock of US allies and the Soviets. It was famous for being the only crossing point for foreigners during that time. Nowadays, the existence of the Checkpoint Charlie represents the history of the Cold War, becoming the tourist attraction in Berlin. 

Photo:Webshot.