Themes · Along the border
Exclaves and enclaves
Escapes involving West Berlin's exclaves, such as Steinstücken and Eiskeller, and the gates to them.
8 events: 7 successful escapes and 1 partly successful escape. At least 27 people reached the West in these events. The records span 1961–1980. Most used methods: guards who fled 5, over the wall 1, aircraft and balloons 1.
Often together with: Shots fired (3), Allied soldiers and officials (2), Armed escapes (2)
25 August 1961
A volunteer fireman slips away through the Eiskeller
A member of the Nauen volunteer fire brigade, which was doing engineering ('pioneer') work in the area, fled to West Berlin through the Eiskeller exclave on the morning of 25 August 1961.
27 September 1961
US Army helicopters fly seven refugees out of Steinstücken
Seven people who had slipped into the tiny West Berlin exclave of Steinstücken were flown out to West Berlin in two US Army helicopters.
25 December 1961
Michael Mara and a fellow patrol leader climb the wire at Kohlhasenbrück on Christmas morning
A young editor called up for border duty after 13 August 1961 fled on Christmas morning 1961 with a fellow soldier, climbing the wire away from the Kohlhasenbrück checkpoint and running into a West Berlin police hut still carrying his carbine.
21 February 1962
Rudi Thurow leads refugees to Steinstücken
Border policeman Rudi Thurow removed the bolts from the border posts' submachine guns and led a small group of civilians to the West Berlin enclave of Steinstücken; there was an exchange of fire but nobody was hurt, and the refugees were flown out by US helicopter.
19 March 1966
Two NCOs run for the border at Kohlhasenbrück – one gets through
NVA NCOs Willi Marzahn and Eberhard M. took weapons from their barracks and ran through the death strip near Steinstücken; in a firefight Eberhard M. reached West Berlin, while Marzahn died of a head wound.
26 July 1973
The Klein Glienicke Family Tunnel
Two brothers, their wives and five children escaped from the GDR exclave of Klein Glienicke through a 19-metre tunnel dug with a child's spade during a heatwave.
11 June 1978 – 17 June 1978
Two guards in one week dart through the Fichtewiese gate
West Berlin allotment holders reached their gardens in the Fichtewiese exclave through a gate in the Wall, with GDR guards checking their passes. On 11 and 17 June 1978 two of those guards simply ran through the door into the British sector.
4 November 1980
Egon B.'s desertion and the death of Ulrich Steinhauer
Border soldier Egon B. disconnected the border communication system, shot his patrol leader Ulrich Steinhauer and climbed the Wall from the saddle of his service bicycle into Spandau; a West Berlin court later convicted him of manslaughter.
