Photo By Erin Thompson | A desecrated American flag is draped over an overturned USMLM vehicle. The graffiti on...... read more read more
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by Erin E. Thompson, USAICoE Staff Historian
RIOTERS DESCEND ON POTSDAM HOUSE
On 1 June 1965, a riot broke out at the International Children’s Day parade in Potsdam, East Germany. The chaotic scene became violent when rioters turned their attention to the United States Military Liaison Mission (USMLM) headquarters at Potsdam House.
The USMLM was established in April 1947 to maintain a relationship between the Commander in Chief, U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) and the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG) in the Soviet Occupied Zone of Germany. [See This Week in MI History #134 5 April 1947] The organization’s primary goal was to liaise between American and Soviet forces, but its secondary goal included exploiting its status and position “for the collection of intelligence information in East Germany.” The USMLM had several headquarters across Germany, including Potsdam House in Potsdam, East Germany, which became the only official American representation in Soviet-controlled East Germany after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. In 1965, hostility between the Americans, Soviets, and East Germans escalated due to the increased American presence in Vietnam and the American invasion of the Dominican Republic during Operation POWER PACK. [See This Week in MI History #38 30 April 1965]
On 1 June 1965, East Germans flocked to Potsdam to celebrate International Children’s Day. At 4:40 p.m., A1C Thomas L. Voss, the only USMLM personnel at Potsdam House at that time, reported a crowd of approximately seventy-five people had invaded the property and were breaking windows on the first floor. The deputy chief of the mission, Lt. Col. Basil C. Balaker, contacted the Soviet External Relations Branch (SERB), Potsdam Command, for assistance. The mob then began spray painting the exterior of Potsdam House. The flagpole at the front of the house was damaged and the flags desecrated. Airman Voss retreated to the upper floors of the mission, at which time he heard the rioters break into the building, with several scaling the exterior wall to the roof. They brought in water hoses and flooded the first floor and basement. The telephone line was cut, and bricks were tossed through many of the windows. Eventually, the mission cooks called the East German security forces (VOPO), who used loudspeakers to dispel the crowd.
USMLM Chief of Mission Col. Paul G. Skowronek had been travelling from Berlin to Potsdam House at the time of the riot and received word of the riot only after he had crossed the Glienicke Bridge into East Germany. He was unable to reach the house and sought shelter at the SERB office. Maj. Andrew Fitzurka, Jr., was also traveling to Potsdam from Berlin and was unable to reach the house until 5:40 p.m., accompanied by Maj. (later Lt. Gen.) William E. Odom and Sp4c. Lonnie Glasscock III. Shortly before 7:00 p.m., Colonel Skowronek again attempted to approach Potsdam House, but he was accosted by a mob of people outside the mission throwing rocks at his car, shattering the driver’s side window, and was forced to turn around.
Later that night, a new flag and flagpole were procured from West Berlin and installed at Potsdam House. "There, in front of the badly damaged Mission house, in the midst of the rubble from the riot, Airman Voss and three USMLM officers hoisted the American flag to the strains of the Star Spangled Banner, played through a loudspeaker. This manifestation of patriotism and respect for the flag was widely acclaimed, and several letters were received by USMLM from individuals and organizations in the United States who felt a measure of pride in this act of American defiance in a communist country." (USMLM Unit History, 1965) Voss received the Airman’s Medal for defending Potsdam House, while Specialist Glasscock received the Soldier’s Medal for his bravery in driving through the protesters to reinforce Potsdam House.
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| Date Taken: | 05.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2024 16:49 |
| Story ID: | 472258 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 244 |
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