Berlin Wall Escapes1961–1989

28 August 1961 · Guards who fled · Treptow and Neukölln

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.

Colour photo over a graffiti-marked concrete wall: a railway bridge with a high fence on top, a lamp platform with stairs on the left and a white van parked below in the border area.
The Wall along Kiefholzstraße at the Ringbahn's Beschaubrücke in November 1986, seen from Neukölln Photo: Roehrensee. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

According to the Stasi report of 28 August 1961, an Oberwachtmeister and a Wachtmeister of the 5th motorised Abteilung, both in the police since 1959, were patrolling the Kiefholzstraße section that night. They were last checked at 2.30 a.m.; at about 3 a.m. they deserted together.

The report counted six desertions of police (VP) members in its reporting period. An hour and a half earlier, in the same section 5, an Unterwachtmeister of the 5th Abteilung had climbed the fence in Heidelberger Straße.

Sources

  1. Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (12) – Bericht Nr. 494/61, 28. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)

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Related escapes

  1. 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.

    Guards who fled · Reached the West · Treptow-Köpenick (Plänterwald) → Neukölln

  2. 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.

    Guards who fled · Reached the West · Treptow-Köpenick (Plänterwald) → Neukölln

  3. 25 August 1961

    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.

    Guards who fled · Reached the West · Treptow-Köpenick (Plänterwald) → Neukölln

  4. 3 September 1961

    A policeman crawls through the fence at Treptower Straße

    At 11.20 p.m. on 3 September 1961 a riot-police Unterwachtmeister crawled through the barrier fence at Treptower Straße onto West Berlin ground.

    Guards who fled · Reached the West · Treptow-Köpenick → Neukölln