I have gone across Checkpoint Charly numerous times. No big deal.
As for oppression on people's faces, there was only disgust at the most, since they were indoctrinated into the communist system. They always(until the end) thought they were better than anyone else.
So he was still full of sh!t.
You're right about the border, especially pre Wall. As for learning about freedom by seeing the faces of a people living under Communism, Kerry, in his testimony during Dewey Canyon told the Congress that America was fighting a war against a mythological enemy in Communism. In other words, the Coummunists were not a real enemy of the U.S. and freedom. Like many statements and actions of the Democrat nominee they don't square.