24 August 1961 · Window jumps · Bernauer Straße
Three jump from the second floor of Bernauer Straße 20
At about 2.10 a.m. on 24 August 1961 two men and a woman jumped from a second-floor window of Bernauer Straße 20 directly onto West Berlin ground; the woman was hurt.
At about 2.10 a.m. on 24 August 1961 two men and a woman jumped from a window on the second floor of Bernauer Straße 20 directly onto West Berlin ground, according to the Stasi report of that day. The woman was injured. West Berlin police took all three away. Guards at the Ruppiner Straße control point watched it happen.
The report counted ten people who had forcibly broken through the border and said the examples showed 'weaknesses in the posts' checks' as well as remaining gaps in the security system.
Sources
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (8) – Bericht Nr. 482/61, 24. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
Spotted an error, or know more about this story? Email us a correction or addition
Related escapes
20 August 1961
Out of the window at the Brunnenstraße corner
At about 10.50 a.m. on 20 August 1961 two people left their flat on Bernauer Street at the Brunnenstraße corner through the windows and reached West Berlin.
20 August 1961
A married couple climbs out at the Wolliner Straße corner
At about 11 a.m. on 20 August 1961 a married couple escaped through the windows of their flat at the corner of Bernauer Straße and Wolliner Straße.
19 August 1961
Rudolf Urban's rope descent from Bernauer Straße 1
Rudolf Urban and his wife let themselves down on a rope from their first-floor flat; he was badly injured and died in hospital four weeks later.
22 August 1961
Ida Siekmann, first death at the Berlin Wall
Nine days after the border was sealed, 58-year-old Ida Siekmann jumped from her third-floor window onto the West Berlin pavement and died of her injuries.
