Picture a city divided. That was Berlin. This Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve Stone marks a piece of that history. The Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve or FPR was created in 1961. This was during the height of the Cold War.
The West Berlin Senate established the FPR. It was a direct response to the East’s “Combat Groups of the Working Class.” The city was tense. The threat of unrest was real. The Berlin Wall would soon physically divide the city.
The members of the Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve were meant to support the regular police. They would be called upon during politically motivated riots. They would also defend West Berlin in case of attack. Senator Joachim Lipschitz explained the goal. He said they didn’t want to create soldiers. They wanted to train citizens to quickly counter local troublemakers. The goal was to prevent bloodshed.
The law creating the Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve went into effect May 25, 1961. The first members were sworn in on September 27. Their training was short but intense. It lasted only two weeks. They learned formations, terrain movement and night exercises. Training included how to use weapons. They trained with batons, pistols and carbines. They even learned to use American and British firearms. During training, they wore a simple uniform with a field cap.
After training, each FPR member was assigned to protect a specific site. This could be a town hall or a utility plant. They protected gas, water and electricity works. They also guarded radio stations and other important public buildings. Later, their duties expanded. They helped with school safety and traffic control.
Normally, Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve members served two weeks per year. They were released from their regular jobs for this duty. Their employers received compensation. About two-thirds of the FPR were public servants. The force was exclusively men until 1986 or 1987. Besides patrol, FPR members received continuous police training. While on duty, they wore blue uniforms and carried firearms.
However, the Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve wasn’t without its problems. In 1993, Police President Hagen Saberschinsky reevaluated the force. An investigation revealed that about 500 of its 2,500 members had problematic backgrounds. Some had criminal records. Others were right-wing extremists or neo-Nazis.
In 1999, the Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve was renamed Freiwilliger Polizeidienst or FPD. It was disbanded in 2002.
Special honors were created for the Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve. These recognized outstanding service by its members. The first awards were given in 1986. Earlier versions of the award pins were given in 1971 and 1979. After the FPD disbanded in 2002, the awards remained. But they could no longer be given. This makes it possibly the only West German honor that no longer exists.
This Freiwillige Polizei-Reserve Stone stands as a reminder. It recalls a time when ordinary citizens stepped up. They volunteered to protect their city. They did so during a period of intense political division.