Not only the foreign minister’s working day is determined by current politics, but also that of the Liaison Office for Diplomatic Institutions and the Zentrale Objektschutz in Berlin’s police force. And if world events are changing every day, then no day at work is the same. With the whole world as their precinct, its three officers are not assigned to any particular Berlin police station.
Early morning international news: Where has there been a revolt, an assassination, or an attempted coup? What are the German security authorities reporting? Which information has been provided by the security departments of foreign embassies? Whatever is happening in the world can find itself reflected in Berlin’s embassy district. Uprisings or attacks in one country can lead to protests in front of the associated embassy in Germany, and this can happen extremely quickly. News, photos and videos circulate in almost real-time across the Internet, which can also trigger activities in Germany, thus confronting the security authorities with enormous challenges. And, depending on any potentially dangerous situations, safety measures need to be constantly updated.
“We’re the point of contact for all the embassies”, Michael Effertz, head of the Liaison Office of diplomatic institutions, explains “but our spectrum deals with much more than just security issues. We build trust and cooperate with representatives from all over the world.” It is based on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, under which the host country undertakes to protect the respective representation and ensure its unhindered access. Any diplomat in need is not only dependent on the police emergency call, but can also reach a mobile phone of the liaison office around the clock. “Our aim is to make sure that nothing happens at diplomatic institutions”.
1,500 police security guards are responsible for the embassies and residences in Berlin, but also for Jewish facilities and regional authorities, politicians’ homes and other endangered individuals. However, not everything is geopolitically relevant; some concerns are very trivial. One diplomat may need help after a traffic accident, another wants to know which areas are safe enough to live in. The son of one diplomat has lost his mobile phone, one chief of mission is annoyed because someone is constantly hanging around in front of the residence and crooning over his daughter. These issues prove how much trust the diplomats have placed in the liaison office since its establishment ten years ago.
It was not always like this. At the beginning, some of the missions were suspicious, whilst others appeared bold and demanding because of their national mentality and political culture. When dealing with one representation from the Far East, the police had to grasp ten different ways of saying “yes”, even one yes that was equal to a tough no. And when in contact with some other embassies, they had to expect, amongst other things, a certain amount of fibbing. It was often extremely challenging. But, today, the liaison officers around Michael Effertz declare with pride: “We’ve built a foundation based on trust, so we can work well with all the embassies”
Needless to say, Effertz and his deputy, Cordula Feichtinger de Carrasco, are also both experts for security and intercultural issues. Knowledge of history, politics, national anthems and national characteristics are helpful in keeping contacts; at the same time, they take note of any changes in the security situation. If you see Effertz at a national day reception, he is not there for the buffet, but instead to maintain contact with the embassies. After all, they notice very precisely if Germany is taking care of their security.
About the Author:
Ewald König is editor-in-chief at korrespondenten.tv, a project of the Berlin correspondent office.