 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2021) |
| Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic | |
|---|---|
| Grenztruppen der DDR | |
 | |
| Active | 1 December 1946 – September 1990 |
| Country | East Germany |
| Branch | Ministry of National Defense (1961–1990)
|
| Size | 47,000 |
| Garrison/HQ | Pätz |
| Commanders | |
| General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party | Abolished |
| Chairman of the National Defense Council | Abolished |
The Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic (German: Grenztruppen der DDR) was the border guard of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) from 1946 to 1990.
The Grenztruppen were the primary force guarding the Berlin Wall and the Inner German border, the GDR's international borders between West Berlin and West Germany respectively. The force belonged to the Ministry of National Defence (MfNV) from 1961, and was a service branch of the National People's Army until 1971 when it became directly subordinate to the MfNV. The Border Troops numbered approximately 47,000 personnel at its peak, consisting of volunteers and conscripts, the third-largest Warsaw Pact border guard after the Soviet Border Troops and Poland's Border Protection Troops.
The Grenztruppen's main role was preventing Republikflucht, the illegal migration from the GDR, and were controversially responsible for many deaths at the Berlin Wall.