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.
At 5.50 p.m. on 13 August 1961 the Treptow police reported that about 400 West Berliners had for some time been gathered on the western bank of the Teltow Canal between the Massantebrücke and the Wredebrücke, and that young people from East Berlin were swimming from one side to the other, some of them using air mattresses. It was not yet known how many had left this way.
At 8.15 p.m. the police reported that about eighteen people had left East Berlin by crossing the canal there. Operational forces were now stopping further crossings; the riot police had not yet posted guards to close the gap.
Sources
- Stab PdVP Berlin - Journal der Handlung, 13. August 1961Chronik der Mauer (document: Landesarchiv Berlin, C Rep. 303/26.1/239)
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