The GDR border troops were part of the National People’s Army [Nationale Volksarmee or NVA] and were about 40,000 strong. Most of these soldiers were stationed along the inner-German border. Maintaining such a heavily guarded border for the “protection of socialism” over the course of decades proved a tremendous economic burden on the GDR. This photograph shows GDR troops patrolling the border in June 1971. Photo by Jochen Moll.