Yesterday, a friend asked me what I thought about the recent spy swap that took place between the United States and Russia. I told him that it was no big deal as spy swaps have been occurring for as long as there have been spies that have been caught and it obviously continues after the fall of the Berlin wall. Swapping Spies will continue long into the future.
This time the question should be why did the exchange take place in Vienna and not in Berlin?
First a little history: since the end of World War II there have been numerous spy swaps that took place between in what was formerly known as East Germany and West Berlin. The swaps to place at a bridge connecting West Berlin to East Germany, the bridge was called (and still is) Glienicke Bridge otherwise known as the Freedom Bridge. The most famous of the Glienicke Bridge spy swaps was that of U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Rudolf Ivanovich Abel on February 10, 1962. Then over the years many other exchanges took place on that bridge. The last known official spy swap took place on February 11, 1986 when Soviet Jewish dissident Anatoly Shcharansky was exchanged for nine other alleged and convicted spies.
Now to answer the question of why not Berlin? The answer is quite simple. There is no more West Berlin; there is no more army of occupation. From 1945 to about 1991 the British, French, and U.S. Armed forces occupied the city of West Berlin and the Soviet Forces occupied East Berlin. That meant that the respective occupying governments governed both sides of the Berlin wall. It also meant they controlled how information processed and disseminated within the city of West Berlin. Therefore, when an exchange took place it took place out in the open but under tightly controlled conditions. That meant the media circus was kept to a few official military photographers and videographers that would release images to the top media exchanges of the day such as the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and Reuters.
To even attempt the type of exchange that took place in Austria on the tarmac of the city's Vienna International Airport in the city Berlin would only be feasible if it took place on one of the city's currently operating two airports (Tegel Airport or the soon to be Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI)). In this the modern, 24/7 always on world there are very few locations that are still under government control where access control is highly maintained. This makes airports such suitable facilities, for several security reasons there are areas that will never be photographed up close and there are certainly several areas, on the airport grounds, where aircraft can sit uninterrupted for extended periods of time where such exchanges can take place. This is especially important when the anonymity of the participants is not only needed but also expected.
The answer to the question of when can the next Spy Swap take place in Berlin? So long as the next spy swap happens after Berlin Brandenburg International Airport officially opens in 2012, Berlin can be next. Currently, Berlin Schönefeld Airport (Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld) is undergoing an expansion that will accommodate the air traffic generated with the closure of Tempelhof Airport in 2008 and Tegel Airport in 2012 when Berlin Schönefeld, which will be renamed to Berlin-Brandenburg International, will be ready for operations. At this time, BBI is full of construction equipment and personnel throughout the airport and the city of Berlin’s growth around Tegel Airport makes both sites not conducive to executing such spy swaps. However, in 2012 Berlin can then reclaim it's standing as the premier "Spy Swap" location on the planet.
This time the question should be why did the exchange take place in Vienna and not in Berlin?
First a little history: since the end of World War II there have been numerous spy swaps that took place between in what was formerly known as East Germany and West Berlin. The swaps to place at a bridge connecting West Berlin to East Germany, the bridge was called (and still is) Glienicke Bridge otherwise known as the Freedom Bridge. The most famous of the Glienicke Bridge spy swaps was that of U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and Rudolf Ivanovich Abel on February 10, 1962. Then over the years many other exchanges took place on that bridge. The last known official spy swap took place on February 11, 1986 when Soviet Jewish dissident Anatoly Shcharansky was exchanged for nine other alleged and convicted spies.
Now to answer the question of why not Berlin? The answer is quite simple. There is no more West Berlin; there is no more army of occupation. From 1945 to about 1991 the British, French, and U.S. Armed forces occupied the city of West Berlin and the Soviet Forces occupied East Berlin. That meant that the respective occupying governments governed both sides of the Berlin wall. It also meant they controlled how information processed and disseminated within the city of West Berlin. Therefore, when an exchange took place it took place out in the open but under tightly controlled conditions. That meant the media circus was kept to a few official military photographers and videographers that would release images to the top media exchanges of the day such as the Associated Press (AP), United Press International (UPI), and Reuters.
To even attempt the type of exchange that took place in Austria on the tarmac of the city's Vienna International Airport in the city Berlin would only be feasible if it took place on one of the city's currently operating two airports (Tegel Airport or the soon to be Berlin Brandenburg International Airport (BBI)). In this the modern, 24/7 always on world there are very few locations that are still under government control where access control is highly maintained. This makes airports such suitable facilities, for several security reasons there are areas that will never be photographed up close and there are certainly several areas, on the airport grounds, where aircraft can sit uninterrupted for extended periods of time where such exchanges can take place. This is especially important when the anonymity of the participants is not only needed but also expected.
The answer to the question of when can the next Spy Swap take place in Berlin? So long as the next spy swap happens after Berlin Brandenburg International Airport officially opens in 2012, Berlin can be next. Currently, Berlin Schönefeld Airport (Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld) is undergoing an expansion that will accommodate the air traffic generated with the closure of Tempelhof Airport in 2008 and Tegel Airport in 2012 when Berlin Schönefeld, which will be renamed to Berlin-Brandenburg International, will be ready for operations. At this time, BBI is full of construction equipment and personnel throughout the airport and the city of Berlin’s growth around Tegel Airport makes both sites not conducive to executing such spy swaps. However, in 2012 Berlin can then reclaim it's standing as the premier "Spy Swap" location on the planet.
In the meantime, back in the Gulf of Mexico...
Technorati Tags:
• Cold War • Berlin • West Berlin • Berlin Brigade • US Army • British Forces • French Forces • Soviet Forces • Spies • Spy Swap • Glienicke Bridge • Freedom Bridge • Tegel Airport • Tempelhof Airport • Berlin Brandenburg International Airport • Flughafen Berlin Schönefeld
