August 1961 · Guards who fled · Hennigsdorf, Nieder Neuendorf and the Havel
A border policeman steals patrol boat G-65 on the Havel
When the boatman left the boat for a short time, a soldier of the Groß Glienicke border unit deserted in the patrol boat G-65, taking a carbine, a machine pistol and a flare pistol with him.
The Stasi situation report of 28 August 1961 lists among the desertions of the reporting period a soldier of the Groß Glienicke border unit (GB Groß Glienicke), stationed at the Nieder Neuendorf control point on the Havel.
At about 5.10 p.m. he used a moment when the boatman had left the SMK boat G-65 to desert in it. The boat was assigned to patrol from the Papenbucht to the enclave; its radio was faulty.
He took a carbine, a machine pistol, a flare pistol and a full set of ammunition for each with him. Because of the incident the radio code key of the whole border unit had to be changed.
Sources
Whose account is this? Told from a GDR record only: documents of the GDR’s police, Stasi or border troops. No other account of the event is cited.
GDR records
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (12) – Bericht Nr. 494/61, 28 August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
Facts checked against the sources: September 2026
Spotted an error, or know more about this story? Email us a correction or addition
Cite this page
Berlin Experiences, “A border policeman steals patrol boat G-65 on the Havel”, Berlin Wall Escapes, 2026, https://berlinwallescapes.com/escapes/smk-boat-g65-nieder-neuendorf-1961/ (accessed [date]).
Related escapes
August 1961
Peter Mindorf flees from his post in Klein Glienicke
An Oberwachtmeister of the Potsdam riot-police training unit, on guard in Klein Glienicke, used a toilet break to flee with his submachine gun and 80 rounds.
31 August 1961
A patrol leader at Schönwalde deserts with his carbine
On the morning of 31 August 1961 a Border Police lance corporal born in 1940 deserted from his post near Schönwalde with his carbine and 60 rounds; the Stasi listed him among the desertions to West Berlin.
16 August 1961
Ulrich H. goes into the bushes and does not come back
On the evening of 16 August 1961 Ulrich H., born 1942, a riot policeman on patrol between the Rudower Chaussee control point and the Kiesberg, said at about 8.30 p.m. that he was going into the bushes to relieve himself. He did not come back: he had deserted with his carbine, leaving his helmet and raincoat.
17 August 1961
Günter D. crawls under the wire while his partner sleeps
On 17 August 1961 the police found that riot-police cadet Günter D. had crawled under the barbed wire at Grüneck in Altglienicke while the second guard on the post was asleep, taking a pistol without ammunition. It was discovered at 6.05 a.m.