Gerstungen Former Border Station

In 1849 the "Friedrich-Wilhelms-Nordbahn" was put into operation on the Hessian side between Bebra and Gerstungen. It joined the "Thuringian Railway Company" in Gerstungen. At that time, Gerstungen was a border station. There were about 100 meters between the Hessian and Thuringian train stations, but constitutional treaties prevented unrestricted passenger and freight traffic. Travelers had to change trains or even stay overnight in Gerstungen. Only after the founding of the Reich in 1871 did this small state system change. After 1945 and the division of Germany, the station once again became an inner-German border station. With the reunification, he finally lost this status. The station building has been owned by a restaurant since 2012.

Gerstungen station served as a border station until reunification. Citizens of the GDR were not permitted to travel from here without special authorization/enter the Federal Republic of Germany.
Since Gerstungen was already within the restricted area, other GDR citizens were also only allowed to stay there with permission, or residents had to carry appropriate identification documents.
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Gerstungen station is located in the municipality of the same name in the Wartburg district on the western border of Thuringia. The station has gained particular importance several times in its history as a border station between different states and railway administrations.
At the time of the division of Germany, suitcases were searched at Gerstungen station when crossing the border, dogs were used to track down refugees, square keys opened ceiling panels, and there was a hint of Auschwitz, just a little, and in the service of progress.