23 August 1961 · Over the wall · Glienicker Brücke and Klein Glienicke

A breakthrough from a garden on Am Waldrand, Klein Glienicke

On 23 August 1961 the border was broken through from the property Am Waldrand 2–3 in Klein Glienicke, a garden that directly adjoined West Berlin.

Klein Glienicke is a part of Potsdam on the edge of West Berlin.

The Stasi situation report of 24 August 1961 lists a breakthrough on 23 August from the property Am Waldrand 2–3 in Klein Glienicke, noting that this property 'borders directly on West Berlin territory'.

The report does not say who crossed, how many people went or how they got through the wire. It is one of five cases on the outer ring that the Stasi counted that day.

Sources

  1. Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (7) – Bericht Nr. 477/61, 24. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)

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  1. 23 August 1961

    Two volunteer firemen from Groß Kreuz leave the border works at Kleinmachnow

    Two members of the Groß Kreuz volunteer fire brigade, who had signed up to help build the border fortifications, went over to West Berlin near the Kleinmachnow/Ost control point on the morning of 23 August 1961.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Kleinmachnow → Steglitz-Zehlendorf

  2. 23 August 1961

    A man with a bicycle climbs the barrier at Glienicke/Nordbahn

    On 23 August 1961 an unknown man rode up to the border at Glienicke/Nordbahn on a bicycle and was over the barrier before the guard could react.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Glienicke/Nordbahn → Reinickendorf

  3. 23 August 1961

    Over the wire with a ladder at Groß Ziethen

    On 23 August 1961 an unknown man used a ladder to climb the border barrier at Groß Ziethen, south of Berlin, and got into West Berlin.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Schönefeld (Großziethen) → Tempelhof-Schöneberg / Neukölln

  4. 25 August 1961

    A volunteer fireman slips away through the Eiskeller

    A member of the Nauen volunteer fire brigade, sent to help build the border fortifications, fled to West Berlin through the Eiskeller exclave on the morning of 25 August 1961.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Schönwalde-Glien → Spandau (Eiskeller)