 Waldsiedlung covered an area of around , although the area's perimeter was not immediately recognizable from the outside.The outer-ring consisted of a wire mesh fence on which there were signs indicating a "wildlife research area", and an inner-ring was surrounded by a two-metre high, green security wall and could only be entered with special passes.The four entrance gates were guarded by members of the Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment, the paramilitary wing of the Stasi, and troops were stationed at 31 watchtowers within the 5-km outer fence.