25 August 1961 · Guards who fled · Treptow and Neukölln
Two unsworn policemen leave with their carbines between Dammweg and Karpfenteichstraße
Between 7.57 and 8 a.m. on 25 August 1961 two riot policemen who had not yet been sworn in deserted together from their post between Dammweg and Karpfenteichstraße, taking their carbines and ammunition.
Between 7.57 and 8 a.m. on 25 August 1961 two Unterwachtmeister of the 1st company, 1st Abteilung of the 9th Bereitschaft deserted together from their post between Dammweg and Karpfenteichstraße in Treptow, taking their Karabiner 44 carbines and 20 rounds each, according to the Stasi report of 25 August 1961.
The report noted that neither had yet been sworn in and that the investigation into the causes was continuing. It recorded five desertions for 25 August, four of them from the riot police; later that day a Wachtmeister of the same Bereitschaft deserted from a patrol at Harzer Straße.
Sources
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (9) – Bericht Nr. 486/61, 25. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
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Related escapes
28 August 1961
A night patrol at Kiefholzstraße does not come back
At about 3 a.m. on 28 August 1961 two riot policemen patrolling Kiefholzstraße in Treptow deserted together, half an hour after their last check.
30 August 1961
Two patrolmen at Kiefholzstraße had told their comrades the day before
At about 8.35 a.m. on 30 August 1961 two riot policemen deserted during a patrol on Kiefholzstraße. They had told two comrades of their plan the day before; the two had kept quiet and were arrested afterwards.
22 August 1961
A patrolman excuses himself at Kiefholzstraße and does not come back
Shortly after midnight on 22 August 1961 an Unterwachtmeister on patrol at the corner of Kiefholzstraße and Dammweg left his unit, saying he needed to relieve himself, and deserted.
28 August 1961
A policeman sends his partner to watch the West Berlin police car, then climbs the fence
At 1.25 a.m. on 28 August 1961 a riot policeman on double patrol in Heidelberger Straße told his partner to go and see what a West Berlin police car was doing, climbed the fence while he was gone and was driven away by the West Berlin police. He was probably Burghardt A., born in 1943.
