Berlin Wall Escapes1961–1989

22 August 1961 · Over the wall

Three surveyors near Wilhelmsruh station are collected by West Berlin customs

According to a Stasi report of 22 August 1961, three employees of the surveying office who were doing survey work near Wilhelmsruh S-Bahn station fled to the West, where a West Berlin customs vehicle picked them up.

Colour photo along a single railway track on an embankment: a red and cream S-Bahn train approaches past a derelict glazed station building on the left and a semaphore signal and brick walls on the right.
The south end of Wilhelmsruh S-Bahn station in October 1986 Photo: Roehrensee. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

According to the Stasi report of 22 August 1961, three people from the surveying office (Vermessungsamt) who were doing survey work near the station fled. On the western side they were picked up by a vehicle of the West Berlin customs service.

The same report also lists a fitter from the Bergmann-Borsig works who fled to West Berlin while his brigade was stringing wire along the wall.

Sources

  1. Jahrgang 1961: Lage nach dem Bau der Berliner Mauer (6) – Bericht Nr. 475/61, 22. August 1961Stasi-Unterlagen-Archiv (DDR im Blick)

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Related escapes

  1. 21 August 1961

    A fitter climbs the Bergmann-Borsig factory wall with a ladder

    On 21 August 1961 a fitter born in 1942, who was helping to put up a wire fence along the wall of VEB Bergmann-Borsig in Wilhelmsruh, left his brigade on a pretext and climbed over the wall with a ladder into West Berlin.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Pankow (Wilhelmsruh) → Reinickendorf

  2. 20 August 1961

    A shot is fired at a man with a rucksack crossing the tracks near Wilhelmsruh

    At 7.50 p.m. on 20 August 1961 a man with a rucksack broke through over the railway line about 300 m from Wilhelmsruh station into West Berlin; an aimed carbine shot was fired at him.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Pankow (Wilhelmsruh) → Reinickendorf

  3. 23 August 1961

    A lorry driver delivering building material jumps the barrier wall

    At 7.30 a.m. on 23 August 1961 a lorry driver born in 1940, who was bringing building material to a control point, left his cab and jumped over the barrier wall into West Berlin.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Mitte → Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg

  4. 23 August 1961

    A bricklayer painting the wall's coping stones jumps down on the other side

    At 9 a.m. on 23 August 1961 a bricklayer born in 1942, who had been sent to paint the coping stones of the wall at control point 51, was standing on top of it – and jumped down into West Berlin.

    Over the wall · Reached the West · Mitte → Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg