14 November 1961 · Driving through

Armoured pre-war Opel at Chausseestraße

Five East Berliners drove an armoured pre-war Opel P4 through the Chausseestraße crossing under heavy fire and reached West Berlin unhurt.

Black-and-white photo of a wide empty street leading to a barrier, the Wall and control buildings at the Chausseestraße crossing, with apartment blocks behind.
The Chausseestraße border crossing seen from Wedding (West Berlin) in June 1972 Photo: Willy Pragher. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Three months after the border was sealed, five East Berliners, three women and two men, prepared an old pre-war Opel P4 for a run through the Chausseestraße border crossing between Mitte and Wedding.

The car had been fitted with steel plates to protect the occupants. On 14 November 1961 they drove it at high speed towards the crossing.

Two graffiti-covered Wall segments either side of an overgrown path.
Remains of the Wall at the former Chausseestraße crossing in November 2011 (since demolished) Photo: Christian Mentel. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

East Berlin border police recognised the escape attempt and fired around 100 shots at the car. The windscreen and the right front wheel were shot to pieces.

Protected by the armour, all five occupants reached West Berlin without injury.

Sources

  1. Gelungene Flucht mit einem gepanzerten Vorkriegs-Opel über den Grenzübergang Chausseestraße, 14. November 1961Chronik der Mauer
  2. Flucht aus der DDR: Mit Fahrzeugen über die GrenzeDemokratiegeschichten

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