A 36-year-old East Berliner swims the Spree through 40 to 50 shots
On 24 March 1973 a 36-year-old East Berliner swam the Spree to West Berlin, unhurt by the 40 to 50 shots East German border guards fired at him.
On 24 March 1973 an East Berliner aged 36 swam across the Spree to West Berlin. East German border guards fired between 40 and 50 shots at him, but he evaded them.
His identity was not disclosed. He was taken to hospital suffering from cold and exhaustion.
Sources
Whose account is this? Told from a press report only.
Press
- Cable items in brief: 'Swim to West' (26 March 1973)Press (Christchurch), via Papers Past (National Library of New Zealand)
Facts checked against the sources: November 2026
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Cite this page
Berlin Experiences, “A 36-year-old East Berliner swims the Spree through 40 to 50 shots”, Berlin Wall Escapes, 2026, https://berlinwallescapes.com/escapes/spree-swimmer-forty-shots-1973/ (accessed [date]).
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