2022 is the 50th Anniversary of the Four Power Agreement
August 30th, 1972: The new road to Steinstuecken opens. The village is no longer cut off from West Berlin.
In June of 1972, the "Four Power Agreement," or "Quadripartite Agreement" went into effect. It was one of the Cold War's most significant diplomatic achievements. The four occupying powers in Berlin---the U.S., U.K, U.S.S.R and France---agreed on steps that would lessen tensions between East and West over Berlin. For example, the Soviet Union explicitly guaranteed that civilian traffic by road, rail and canal from West Germany to West Berlin would be allowed to move relatively freely.
As part of the agreement, West Berlin, West Germany and East Germany concluded separate agreements that made it easier for West German and West Berlin citizens to visit friends and family in the East.
The Four Power Agreement specifically mentioned Steinstucken---in a life-changing way. It allowed West Berlin to negotiate an agreement with East Germany, in which East Germany sold to West Berlin a strip of land that connected Steinstuecken to West Berlin. West Berlin built a road on that land, which ended Steinstuecken's long period of isolation.
The book tells the story of the Four Power Agreement, and how it changed life in Steinstuecken, and Berlin, forever.
This part of the website is under construction---expect to see MUCH more information about the Four Power Agreement in the months to come.