More than 5,000 East Germans after the Wall dare try to escape across the Baltic Sea, for 174 He ended fatally. With his flight on 2 September 1989 guard Mario was probably the last to leave the GDR in the sea.
Mario Wächtler first look at the long-awaited freedom was marred by frosted glass. He was in an ambulance at Travemünde near Lübeck. An agonizing way had led him there. Wächtler had swum from the GDR by the Baltic Sea to the West. With his flight on 2 September 1989, he was to know today, probably the last one broke through the Iron Curtain to the sea. In 19 hours he put back 38 miles before it just before a ferry Travemünde fished from the water.
"the beginning of September 1989 nor of the impending change to feel anything, "says Wächtler in retrospect. Actually, it was him quite well in the GDR, but the then 24-year-old auto mechanic was hoping more from life." I had enough money, but where do they get for their money, nothing. In addition, I wanted to travel wherever I wanted and socialist, not only in the States. "So he decided to flee from the GDR. The time of many chosen path via Hungary or Prague Embassy of the Federal Republic it is too dangerous, as it would have to cross borders. The Baltic Sea appears to him there as the easier path. "On holiday in Mecklenburg I saw the houses at the Timmendorfer beach in Schleswig-Holstein, which seemed within reach."
So he sets out on 2 September from Karl-Marx-Stadt, now Chemnitz, with his Trabant on the way towards the coast. West of Wismar he puts on a wetsuit and clock up 23 into the water. As day breaks, he still swims, it feels good. "The distance I had estimated about right, but I did not think that I need so long," says Wächtler. At break of day increases the risk of being discovered by the East German border guards. In fact, it happens two patrol boats, at first they seem not to notice him. Seen him on the other hand, the captain of a West German ferry from Trelleborg in Sweden to Travemünde go is. He changes the course and can be a rescue boat. This also see the East German border guards - a real race begins Wächtler direction. The lifeboat reached the refugees first. "On board the" Peter Pan "I have not heard how the people applauded, then I lost consciousness from exhaustion."
Wächtler was lucky. More than 5,000 East Germans after the Berlin Wall in 1961 dared to try to escape across the Baltic Sea. After evaluated DDR documentation was fatal for 174 flight, 4522 people were discovered and arrested. Only 913 were successful. About two-thirds of the refugees were 14 to 21 years old, about half were workers. The Most of those arrested have already been discovered on land. The capsized on the run who died in their boats or had overestimated her strength as a swimmer. Deaths were rinsed in Denmark beaches. Many were also found by fishermen. 54 refugees are still missing. These are the findings of the author Christine Vogt-Müller for her book "Beyond the horizon lies the freedom ..." (Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 2003) in files of the border brigade coast of the GDR, the Stasi documentation authorities and the intelligence unit of government crime (decomposes).
Safe In recent years, the East German border guards in 1000 from the coast of the country. To this end, there were 75 observation points. At sea were 34 boats with 800 men in action. The masters of the East German merchant and fishing fleet were required to bring refugees against their will from the water.
Source: focus.de
Mario Wächtler first look at the long-awaited freedom was marred by frosted glass. He was in an ambulance at Travemünde near Lübeck. An agonizing way had led him there. Wächtler had swum from the GDR by the Baltic Sea to the West. With his flight on 2 September 1989, he was to know today, probably the last one broke through the Iron Curtain to the sea. In 19 hours he put back 38 miles before it just before a ferry Travemünde fished from the water.
"the beginning of September 1989 nor of the impending change to feel anything, "says Wächtler in retrospect. Actually, it was him quite well in the GDR, but the then 24-year-old auto mechanic was hoping more from life." I had enough money, but where do they get for their money, nothing. In addition, I wanted to travel wherever I wanted and socialist, not only in the States. "So he decided to flee from the GDR. The time of many chosen path via Hungary or Prague Embassy of the Federal Republic it is too dangerous, as it would have to cross borders. The Baltic Sea appears to him there as the easier path. "On holiday in Mecklenburg I saw the houses at the Timmendorfer beach in Schleswig-Holstein, which seemed within reach."
So he sets out on 2 September from Karl-Marx-Stadt, now Chemnitz, with his Trabant on the way towards the coast. West of Wismar he puts on a wetsuit and clock up 23 into the water. As day breaks, he still swims, it feels good. "The distance I had estimated about right, but I did not think that I need so long," says Wächtler. At break of day increases the risk of being discovered by the East German border guards. In fact, it happens two patrol boats, at first they seem not to notice him. Seen him on the other hand, the captain of a West German ferry from Trelleborg in Sweden to Travemünde go is. He changes the course and can be a rescue boat. This also see the East German border guards - a real race begins Wächtler direction. The lifeboat reached the refugees first. "On board the" Peter Pan "I have not heard how the people applauded, then I lost consciousness from exhaustion."
Wächtler was lucky. More than 5,000 East Germans after the Berlin Wall in 1961 dared to try to escape across the Baltic Sea. After evaluated DDR documentation was fatal for 174 flight, 4522 people were discovered and arrested. Only 913 were successful. About two-thirds of the refugees were 14 to 21 years old, about half were workers. The Most of those arrested have already been discovered on land. The capsized on the run who died in their boats or had overestimated her strength as a swimmer. Deaths were rinsed in Denmark beaches. Many were also found by fishermen. 54 refugees are still missing. These are the findings of the author Christine Vogt-Müller for her book "Beyond the horizon lies the freedom ..." (Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 2003) in files of the border brigade coast of the GDR, the Stasi documentation authorities and the intelligence unit of government crime (decomposes).
Safe In recent years, the East German border guards in 1000 from the coast of the country. To this end, there were 75 observation points. At sea were 34 boats with 800 men in action. The masters of the East German merchant and fishing fleet were required to bring refugees against their will from the water.
Source: focus.de
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