Cross border commuters in the Berlin area 1948–1961

In order to be able to maintain a uniform Berlin employment market, on March 20, 1949, in addition the elimination of the payment ceiling, Western powers, together with the abolition of the capping limit, created a Wage Compensation Fund for employees of the industrial/business economy.

The problem of East cross-border commuters, who were employed in positions of authority, or as police officers or teachers, was solved in 1948 and 49 during the political dividing of Berlin.

Pressure on these cross-border commuters came by means of disadvantages in the allocation of housing, children's training opportunities and the issuance of travel permits.

In 1961, when fleeing the republic became more and more frequent, the SED passed legislation closing the West Berlin borders, and by unleashing a witch-hunt for West cross-border commuters for propagandist reasons, portraying them in public events and a press campaign as traitors, criminals and parasites.

The rest were mostly active as artists (70% of the soloistic staff of the Deutsche Staatsoper on Unter den Linden were West Berliners), or as scientists, technicians or doctors.

The West cross-border commuters, by this time unemployed, were subject to long periods of discrimination in their everyday lives, employed in workplaces below their qualifications, and kept under police surveillance.