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Tunnels - Escape to Freedom 60 years ago

posted 2 years ago by TimeTunnel (4769)
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In August 1961 the Berlin Wall was built
Due to the decision by the Soviet leadership and an instruction a few days later by the GDR government, the inner-German sector border was closed to stop the flow of refugees to the West.
Families and friends were separated from each other.
Young people from the West dug tunnels into the East, right under the feet of border guards, to help escape friends, family and strangers.

Tunnel 29
University students in West-Berlin missed their fellow students from East-Berlin.
In spring 1962 two Italians and two Germans began digging a tunnel towards the East.
After a short the tunnellers were broke.
They managed to get NBC interested in their project and to fund it.
Eventually there were 30 - 40 helpers and supporters, luckily no traitors.
Contrary to many conspiracy theories, no secret services were involved in the tunnel construction.
It was a private operation which, unlike many other escape tunnels, resulted in no fatalities, no injuries and no arrests.
The tunnel was 120 - 140 meter long (about the same in yards).
For two days in September 1962 refugees crept through it to the West.
Then it was flooded by too much water again; eleven days later the tunnel crashed.
It enabled 29 East-Germans to live in Freedom.

English (1962) Original Docu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E3T7eiSBsY
Three Emmy Awards in 1963.
Only documentary to receive the award as The Program of the Year.

German (1999) Original footage, interviews of meanwhile old main participants
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNRcAMT3Gbc

Tunnel der Freiheit (2021) = Tunnel of Freedom
Original footage, interviews of 1999 and additional background info
Currently in the public broadcaster's Mediathek.
https://mediathekviewweb.de/#query=Tunnel%20der%20Freiheit

[–] TimeTunnel (4769) 2 years ago

Tunnel 57
was another 145 meter long tunnel under the Berlin Wall.
In October 1964 it was the location of an escape by 57 East-Berlin citizens.
Student and future astronaut Reinhard Furrer (1940-1995) was among the West-German helpers.
During the escape East-German border guards came upon the scene.
A West-German escape helper opened fire.
The bullet pierced the lung of young East-German guard Egon Schultz, who was then fatally wounded by friendly fire from another guard.
This friendly fire was kept secret by the GDR government.
A memorial plaque commemorates the successful escape and Schultz's death as a victim of the Berlin Wall.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunnel_57