A man and a woman swim the Teltow Canal near the Späthbrücke
At about 4.30 p.m. on 26 August 1961 a woman and a man swam across the Teltow Canal near the Späthbrücke into West Berlin.
According to the Stasi report of 26 August 1961, a woman and a man swam across the canal near the Späthbrücke at about 4.30 p.m. At 6 p.m. an employee of the state circus (VEB Zentral-Zirkus) also swam 'the canal'.
The report singled out control points 70/71, where six breakthroughs had happened since 6 p.m., mostly through allotment plots on confusing ground near the border. It blamed inadequate lighting, and noted that some of the guards there had little experience.
Sources
- Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (10) – Bericht Nr. 489/61, 26. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)
Spotted an error, or know more about this story? Email us a correction or addition
Related escapes
30 August 1961
Under fire across the Teltow Canal at the Späthbrücke, a day after Roland Hoff
At 7.35 a.m. on 30 August 1961, less than a day after Roland Hoff was shot dead in the Teltow Canal, a guard at the Späthbrücke saw a man swimming the canal; despite warning shots and aimed fire he reached the western bank, probably wounded.
16 August 1961
Two men at the Späthbrücke: one swims, one walks over the bridge
At 6.15 p.m. on 16 August 1961 two men went to West Berlin at the Späthbrücke – one swimming, the other on foot over the bridge – without the police on duty there stopping them.
August 1961
Rita Bergemann and Michael Reck swim the Havel from Sacrow
A good two weeks after the Wall went up, a young Potsdam couple swam roughly 300 metres across the narrowest part of the Havel from Sacrow to Moorlake, just as a patrol boat turned away.
13 August 1961
About eighteen people cross the Teltow Canal on the first evening
On 13 August 1961 about eighteen people left East Berlin across the Teltow Canal between the Massante and Wrede bridges. The police saw young people swimming across, some using air mattresses, while about 400 West Berliners gathered on the far bank.