Between Two Air Forces: From East German Officer to German Captain

**Roland** (0:00)
He stood right in front of me and told me directly that he never will accept me or one of the NVA officers because my brain is fully loaded with Russian propaganda and I never would have the right to give him or his comrades some orders.

**Ian Sanders** (0:20)
At German reunification, former East German Air Force Officer Roland faced an extraordinary transformation. Joining the military alliance he'd once been trained to fight.
Roland recounts his difficult passage from the East German military into the Bundeswehr. His experience, qualifications and years of service suddenly counted for less. Having been a member of the Communist Party, he endured intensive screening, as well as a reduction in rank, lower pay than Western colleagues and long separations from his family. Some new comrades welcomed him. Others regarded him with suspicion, prejudice and open hostility. From working with Mi-8 helicopters to supporting Germany's inherited MiG-29 fleet, he rebuilt his career. This is a revealing story of one former enemy confronting divided loyalties, institutional mistrust and the challenge of beginning again.
I'm delighted to welcome Roland to our Cold War Conversation. Can you remember when you first heard that the Berlin Wall had opened?

**Roland** (1:28)
I can indeed.
It's one of the changing days and I tried to figure it up in the right order. So that day, the 9th of 1189, I was the officer in charge for 24-hour duty, officer of the day. So to keep the guards and the soldiers in a 24-shift, to protect the airbase in case of everything should happen. And so I was responsible for the airfield, for the airfield, the helicopters, hangars and everything. That means you start your day, and it seems to me like a few weeks ago, eight mornings with armed soldiers, eight o'clock, to wear them in, to protect the airfield for a shift system under my command.
And it was a very long day. So you have a deputy, an NCO. I went to the helicopters, had to do my job, did my checks and everything. And a 24-hour shift is a long way. So it was a tough day, some problems on the flight and everything. And some technical decisions had to be made. And I went back to my office as the officer of IDAE. And my NCO had managed no problems at all. And let's say in the late afternoon, eight, nine, I just wanted to have a nap, fell down and right there just fully uniform on. And it knocked on the door, just tried to nap. There was no signs, just knocking. I tried to ignore it, but the knocking continued by that way.
And I just was a little bit disordered by falling asleep or not be very awake that time. And ignoring doesn't help, the knocking went on. So I went up, closed my uniform, dressed it in the right manner and flapped off the door. And there was standing two young soldiers, one of my brief guards, conscripted guys, conscripted men, nervous, a little bit shy, but on the other end, a very euphoric. And they told me that the Berlin Wall was opened right now due to the press conference of Schabowski speech this evening. I had no clue. I was totally surprised. So right now, everyone was allowed to pass the checkpoints to visit Berlin West. So it was roughly a distance of 80 km. They wanted me to hand over their Kalashnikovs to me, to quit their duty, and to leave the airfield, to go by train to Berlin West to visit the city. So I was totally chocked. It was a situation how to react, how to handle.
And it took me at least, if my memory serves me at one minute or something. And then I started roaring, shouting to them, and explained them that they passed a swearing ceremony that morning. So for 24 hours, protecting guards, to protect the airfield for 24 hours, and they were not allowed to breach that order to go. Otherwise, I had to put them in arrest, in jail right now. And they had to act under these orders until the next morning. And then we could decide what should be the next steps.
I don't know how it works, but it worked. So I called my deputy, gave the guys back, and they did their 24-hour shift right now. And all my soldiers that was talking in that round, yes, for sure, did probably their 24-hour shift, get released on the next morning, and got the chance to ask for permission to get one day or half a day off to leave the units. And it was a very tricky situation for me. But that's the point I remember the day the wall came down.