Observation Post Alpha
| Observation Post Alpha | |
|---|---|
| Part of Inner German border | |
| Between Rasdorf, Hesse and Geisa, Thuringia in Germany. | |
NATO Observation Post Alpha, watchtower. | |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Point Alpha Stiftung |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 50°43′25″N 9°55′56″E / 50.7237°N 9.9323°E |
| Site history | |
| In use | mid-1960s to 1991 |
Observation Post Alpha, OP Alpha, or Point Alpha was a Cold War observation post between Rasdorf, Hesse, West Germany and Geisa, Thuringia, East Germany. The post overlooked part of the "Fulda Gap", which would have been a prime invasion route for Warsaw Pact forces had the Cold War erupted into actual warfare. It was abandoned by the military in 1991. Today, the "Point Alpha" memorial commemorates the observation point's four decades of existence. The memorial is dedicated to keeping it and a nearby section of the inner German border as reminders of the division of Germany and the confrontation between NATO and Warsaw Pact in the Cold War.