ostgeld

Ostgeld was a term used in Germany to refer to payments made by the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or East Germany, to the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, for certain services. These payments were primarily related to the passage of West German citizens through East German territory. Specifically, West Germans travelling by car or train to West Berlin were required to pay a transit fee. Similarly, West German ships using East German waterways also incurred fees.

These Ostgeld payments were part of a complex set of agreements and understandings between the two German states during the Cold War. While often framed as fees for services rendered, they also served as a source of foreign currency for the GDR and a form of economic leverage. The system was in place from the 1950s until the reunification of Germany in 1990. The fees varied over time and were a point of contention and negotiation between the two countries. For West Germans, these payments were an unavoidable cost of travel to West Berlin and were often seen as an imposition. The revenue generated by Ostgeld contributed to the East German economy, albeit through a system that highlighted the division of the country.