During the Cold War there was little economic development in the border area on both sides. The Iron Curtain was dissected only by very few roads. After the political change, gaps in the road network were closed and commercial areas were built, dissecting the Green Belt, often with grave impairments on rare species.
Images: 1,2: Highway BAB A 72 Hof-Plauen, BAB A 73 Suhl-Nürnberg, Klaus Leidorf, 3,4: border crossings Czech Republic - Germany Michael Bartos