Egon B.'s desertion and the death of Ulrich Steinhauer

On 4 November 1980 Ulrich Steinhauer, 24, was patrol leader on the 1–9 p.m. shift on the border section between Staaken and Schönwalde, opposite the Eiskeller area of West Berlin's Spandau district. His partner, Egon B., had long planned to defect.

Shortly after 4 p.m. B. disconnected the border communication system and loaded his weapon. By his own account he called out to Steinhauer that he was leaving and fired warning shots; he then fired five shots in quick succession. The fatal bullet entered Steinhauer's back and pierced his heart; he died before help arrived.

B. rode his service bicycle through the border strip to a lower section of the wall, leaned it against the wall, stood on the saddle and climbed over into West Berlin, where he reported to the police.

West Berlin refused the GDR's request for extradition. In autumn 1981 a youth chamber of the Berlin regional court sentenced him to six years' youth custody for manslaughter; he was released from custody in June 1982, and in February 1983, after further appeals, the sentence was reduced to four years and nine months, suspended.