Further Media
Shortly after completing his apprenticeship as a toolmaker, Burkhard Strelow received his draft notice — the only one in his class. He briefly considered refusing military service but ultimately decided against it at his mother’s request. On May 5, 1989, he began his service with the border troops. He was surprised to learn that he would actually be deployed as a border guard at the Berlin Wall:
"I found the idea really awful and couldn't imagine, until I got there [...], that they would really put me in the border area. Maybe I'd only be a cook or have to work in the workshop. [...] Because everyone who moved even slightly outside the mainstream was suspected of wanting to overthrow the state. [...] I was really shocked for a few days."
This identification tag was one of the first pieces of military equipment Burkhard Strelow received.