3 August 1973 · Hidden in vehicles · Staaken

A Telefunken worker with a man in his boot at Staaken

A West Berliner employed by Telefunken tried to bring an East German into West Berlin through the Staaken crossing in his car boot and was arrested.

At about 6 a.m. on 3 August 1973 a West Berliner born in 1943 and employed by Telefunken tried to take an East German into West Berlin through the Staaken crossing, hidden in the boot of his car.

Both were arrested and charged. The report gives no further details.

Sources

Facts checked against the sources: November 2026

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Berlin Experiences, “A Telefunken worker with a man in his boot at Staaken”, Berlin Wall Escapes, 2026, https://berlinwallescapes.com/escapes/telefunken-worker-boot-staaken-1973/ (accessed [date]).

  1. 13 August 1973

    A courier of the Jensch organisation is caught at Staaken with a woman in the boot

    A West Berliner working for the escape organisation of Jensch was arrested at the Staaken crossing with a woman hidden in his car boot; the Stasi said he had already taken at least seven East Germans out on the Horst–Staaken transit route since June.

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  2. 3 June 1973

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    Georg Burggraf, owner of a West Berlin building-cleaning firm, and a young assistant were arrested at Drewitz with East Germans hidden in the boot of his car.

    Hidden in vehicles · Stopped · Potsdam (Drewitz) / Berlin-Zehlendorf

  3. 24 August 1973

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    A West Berlin television technician working for the Jensch organisation was caught at Drewitz with a Friedrichshain teacher and her children, aged nine and six, in the boot of his Ford.

    Hidden in vehicles · Stopped · Potsdam (Drewitz) / Berlin-Zehlendorf

  4. 26 August 1973

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    Two West Berliners recruited by an escape organisation were arrested at Drewitz with an East German engineer in the boot of their Opel.

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