23 August 1961 · Guards who fled
A train on the bridge: a guard slips away at control point 4
Late on 23 August 1961 an Unterwachtmeister guarding the railway bridge at control point 4 used the moment his partner went under the bridge and a train passed over it to desert to West Berlin, where West Berlin police radio cars picked him up.
Control point 4 was the railway bridge on the line from Wilhelmsruh to Schildow. On the evening of 23 August 1961 Unterwachtmeister Bernhard H., born in 1943, of the 4th Bereitschaft from Magdeburg, stood double guard there with a Wachtmeister.
According to the Stasi report of 24 August, he suddenly noticed a noise under the bridge. While the Wachtmeister went down to check, a train crossed the bridge, and H. used the moment to desert. Two West Berlin police radio-car crews took him in at once.
The police journal dated the desertion to about 22.45 and added that he had left his weapon and equipment at the post. Another Stasi report of 24 August listed the same desertion 'in the area of the railway bridge Wilhelmsruh–Schildow'.
Sources
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (7) – Bericht Nr. 477/61, 24. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
- Stab Präsidium der Volkspolizei Berlin, Abt. Information – Journal der Handlung, 23 August 1961Chronik der Mauer (document: Landesarchiv Berlin, C Rep. 303/26.1/239)
- Stab Präsidium der Volkspolizei Berlin, Abt. Information – Journal der Handlung, 24 August 1961Chronik der Mauer (document: Landesarchiv Berlin, C Rep. 303/26.1/239)
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (8) – Bericht Nr. 482/61, 24. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
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