15 November 1968 · Guards who fled
Deserting policeman and border soldier die near Klein Glienicke
A 21-year-old Volkspolizist deserting towards West Berlin opened fire on a border patrol vehicle in Babelsberg Park, killing driver Rolf Henniger, and was himself shot dead by the patrol leader.
Horst Körner, born in Wolfen in 1947, served in the criminal police and was on watch duty at the Potsdam criminal police school on the evening of 15 November 1968. He left his post armed with a loaded submachine gun and headed through Babelsberg Palace Park towards the border with West Berlin.
Border soldier Rolf Henniger, 26, was driving his patrol leader in a Trabant along the security strip. Shortly before the bridge over the Teltow Canal to the Klein Glienicke enclave, the patrol leader saw a uniformed man behind a tree and had Henniger reverse.
When he was spotted, Körner opened automatic fire on the vehicle through the windscreen. Henniger was hit in the head and chest and slumped behind the wheel. The patrol leader fired back and killed Körner with several bursts.
A farewell note found in Körner's uniform said he would rather die than be captured. The Chronik der Mauer notes that Henniger himself had apparently spoken of escape intentions within his family.
Sources
- Henniger, RolfChronik der Mauer
- Körner, HorstChronik der Mauer
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