January 1989 · Over the wall

A farmer climbs the Wall into Lichtenrade with a ladder under fire

In an escape reported on 6 January 1989, a 34-year-old farmer from the GDR used a ladder to get over the border installations at Tutzinger Straße in Lichtenrade; by his own account he was shot at three times.

A 34-year-old farmer from the GDR escaped to West Berlin shortly before 6 January 1989; the report does not give the day. He climbed over the border installations near Tutzinger Straße in Lichtenrade, in the south of the city, using a ladder, and was not hurt.

According to his own account, guards fired at him three times during the escape.

On 5 January the Senate and the Western Allies protested against the use of firearms. A few days later the GDR news agency ADN denied that border troops had fired on refugees anywhere, either at the border with West Berlin or at the border with the Federal Republic, and quoted the GDR defence minister as saying there was no order to shoot.

Sources

  1. Schüsse an der Mauer: Flucht gelang trotzdem (taz, 6 January 1989)taz
  2. DDR dementiert Schüsse (taz, 11 January 1989)taz

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  1. 31 December 1971

    Horst Kullack shot on New Year's Eve at Großziethen

    On New Year's Eve 1971 Horst Kullack climbed the rear fence at Großziethen and reached the border wall before guards shot him without warning. He died of his wounds three weeks later.

    Over the wall · Killed · Großziethen (Schönefeld) / Berlin-Lichtenrade

  2. 5 February 1989

    Chris Gueffroy, the last person shot dead at the Wall

    Chris Gueffroy, 20, and his friend Christian Gaudian tried to climb the border fences at the Britzer Zweigkanal, believing the order to shoot had been lifted; Gueffroy was shot through the heart and Gaudian was wounded and arrested.

    Over the wall · Killed · Treptow-Köpenick

  3. 8 April 1989

    Over the barrier at Chausseestraße in front of western cameras

    Two young East Berliners jumped over the barrier at the Chausseestraße crossing; a passport controller fired a shot (a warning shot, according to the Stasi files) and both were arrested, while western journalists who had been tipped off recorded the attempt.

    Over the wall · Stopped · Mitte

  4. 26 December 1963

    A hijacked taxi from Zerbst and a Boxing Day dash at Schönefeld

    Three men from a GDR reception home forced a taxi driver to take them from Zerbst to the edge of West Berlin; with a fourth man they tried to cross the border at about 4.50 a.m. and were stopped by gunfire.

    Over the wall · Stopped · Schönefeld (Kleinziethen) / Tempelhof-Schöneberg (Lichtenrade)