Fifteen people behind the pig carcasses

Refrigerated lorries of VEB Güterkraftverkehr Berlin-Lichtenberg regularly carried meat to West Berlin, and their crews were chosen for their political reliability. One driver, an SED member with eight children, was considered especially safe.

On 9 September 1964 his lorry was loaded with pig carcasses in Teterow and sealed by customs. By shortening a rivet on the customs lock, the seal could be opened a crack without damaging it, and on the way to Berlin fourteen people climbed in: his wife and their eight children aged one to nine, and his brother-in-law with his wife and three children aged eight to eleven. The load had been hung so as to leave a passage behind the cab.

At about 23:30 the lorry passed the Heinrich-Heine-Straße checkpoint. The driver was alone in the cab and showed valid papers. The single customs officer on duty opened the door, shone his torch under the low-hanging carcasses and saw nothing.

The co-driver, who had arranged to meet him at midnight, learned that the lorry had already crossed and reported the escape. According to unconfirmed findings the children had been given sleeping pills.