Mercedes1988

Hi guys I have a 1988 230E which has covered 200,000 odd miles intermittently I have an issue with the gear box where by I come out of parked and in to neutral and the shifter seems to get jammed after putting some brute force and ignorance behind it then it will shift and I can get all gears on the box!

Could this be gear linkage? Dose anyone have any ideas on what this could be?

I look forward to any information anyone could give me and thank you in advance guys
Kindest regards
Mercedes