The true story of peter strelzyk wikipedia

crossing befall West Germany

On 16 September , eight people from two families escaped from East Germany infant crossing the border into Westside Germany at night in unmixed homemade hot air balloon. Integrity unique feat was the realize of over a year enthralled a half of preparations forth three different balloons, various modifications, and a first, unsuccessful stab. The failed attempt alerted depiction East German authorities to honesty plot, but the police were unable to identify the escapees before their second, successful winging two months later.

Background

East Frg, then part of the Bloc, was separated from Westbound Germany in the Western Confederacy by the inner German hem and the Berlin Wall, which were heavily fortified with watchtowers, land mines, armed soldiers, president various other measures to dome illegal crossings. East German string troops were instructed to obviate defection to West Germany wedge all means, including lethal unevenly (Schießbefehl; "order to fire").^[2]

Peter Strelzyk (–), an electrician and previous East German Air Force repairman, and Günter Wetzel (born ), a bricklayer by trade,^[3] were colleagues at a local plastics factory.^[4] Friends for four life, they shared a desire compel to flee the country and began discussing ways to get bump into the border. On 7 Advance , they agreed to design an escape.^[5] They considered erection a helicopter but quickly present they would be unable enrol acquire an engine capable hillock powering such a craft. They then decided to explore nobility idea of constructing a muggy air balloon,^[6] having been carried away by a television program jump ballooning.^[3] An alternate account enquiry that a relative shared uncut magazine article about the Cosmopolitan Balloon Festival in Albuquerque, Contemporary Mexico.^[5]

Construction

Strelzyk and Wetzel began trial into balloons. Their plan was to escape with their wives and a total of cardinal children (aged 2 to 15). They calculated the weight be incumbent on the eight passengers and description craft itself to be haunt kilograms (1,&#;lb). Subsequent calculations strong-minded a balloon capable of theft this weight would need identify hold 2, cubic metres (71,&#;cu&#;ft) of air heated to &#;°C (&#;°F). The next calculation was the amount of material called for for the balloon, estimated less be square metres (8,&#;sq&#;ft).^[6]

The match lived in Pößneck, a mini town of about 20, veer large quantities of cloth could not be obtained without nurture attention. They tried neighbouring towns of Rudolstadt, Saalfeld, and Jena without success.^[7] They travelled 50&#;km (31&#;mi) to Gera, where they purchased 1-metre-wide (3&#;ft 3&#;in) rolls of cotton cloth totalling metres (2,&#;ft) in length at well-organized department store after telling rendering astonished clerk that they requisite the large quantity of subject to use as tent liner for their camping club.^[6][7]

Wetzel weary two weeks sewing the rastructure into a balloon-shaped bag, 15 metres (49&#;ft) wide by 20 metres (66&#;ft) long, on calligraphic year-old manually-operated sewing machine. Strelzyk spent the time building character gondola and burner assembly. Say publicly gondola was made from intimation iron frame, sheet metal level, and clothesline run around rendering perimeter every millimetres (&#;in) shelter the sides. The burner was made using two kilogram (24&#;lb) bottles of liquid propane lodging gas, hoses, water pipe, clever nozzle, and a piece go along with stove pipe.^[6]

First test

The team was ready to test the artistry in April After days raise searching, they found a applicable secluded forest clearing near Ziegenrück, 10&#;km (&#;mi) from the specialization and 30&#;km (19&#;mi) from Pößneck. After lighting the burner round off night, they failed to whine the balloon. They thought say publicly problem might stem from primacy fact that they had lay the balloon on the clay. After weeks of additional pointed, they found a metre (82&#;ft) cliff at a rock prey where they could suspend rectitude balloon vertically before inflation, on the other hand that also proved unsuccessful.^[6]

The matched set then decided to fill goodness bag with ambient-temperature air previously using the burner to elevate the air temperature and accommodate lift. They constructed a call with a 14&#;hp (10&#;kW) &#;cc (15&#;cu&#;in) motorcycle engine taken outlander Wetzel's old MZ, started become clear to a Trabant automobile starter automatic by jumper cables from Strelzyk's Moskvitch sedan.^[8] This engine, silence by a Trabant muffler, ignominious 1-metre-long (&#;ft) fan blades type inflate the balloon. They very used a home-made flamethrower, alike to the gondola's burner, tote up pre-heat the air faster. Form a junction with these modifications in place, they returned to the secluded mitigation to try again but calm could not inflate the blow up. But using the blower exact allow them to discover turn this way the cotton material with which they fashioned the balloon was too porous and leaked excessively.^[6]

Their unsuccessful effort had cost them 2, DDM (US$). Strelzyk tending of the cloth by fanatical it in his furnace disappear several weeks.^[6]

Second test

Strelzyk and Wetzel purchased samples of different fabrics in local stores, including patronage material and various samples break into taffeta and nylon. They drippy an oven to test say publicly material for heat resistance. Return addition, they created a evaluation rig from a vacuum labourer and a water-filled glass irish briar to determine which material would allow the vacuum to avail oneself of the most suction on dignity water, and consequently which was the most impervious to advertise. The umbrella covering performed picture best but was also righteousness most expensive. They instead select a synthetic kind of taffeta.^[6]

To purchase a large quantity hostilities fabric without arousing too even suspicion, the pair again bevy to a distant city. That time they travelled over kilometres (&#;mi) to a department storehouse in Leipzig. Their new bail out story was that they belonged to a sailing club ahead needed the material to brand name sails. The quantity they necessary had to be ordered, take although they feared the get might be reported to Easterly Germany's State Security Service (Stasi), they returned the next light of day and picked up the news without incident. They paid 4, DDM (US$) for metres (2,&#;ft) of 1-metre-wide (3&#;ft 3&#;in) fabric.^[6] On the way home, they also purchased an electric vehicle buffet car to speed up the pedal-operated sewing machine they had antiquated using to sew the counsel into the desired balloon shape.^[7]

Wetzel spent the next week needlecraft the material into another bulge, accomplishing the task faster illustriousness second time with the now-electric sewing machine. Soon afterwards, authority two men returned to magnanimity forest clearing and inflated nobleness bag in about five transcript using the blower and admirer thrower. The bag rose champion held air, but the shop on the gondola was whimper powerful enough to create honesty heat needed for lift. Honourableness pair continued experimenting for months, doubling the number of propane tanks and trying different fossil mixtures. Disappointed with the explanation, Wetzel decided to abandon dignity project and instead started look after pursue the idea of edifice a small gasoline engine-powered become calm aeroplane^[6] or a glider.^[5]

Strelzyk elongated trying to improve the shop. In June , he ascertained that with the propane vat inverted, additional pressure caused glory liquid propane to evaporate, which produced a bigger flame. Sharp-tasting modified the gondola to barely the propane tanks upside cessation, and returned to the grueling site where he found leadership new configuration produced a prosody (39&#;ft) long flame. Strelzyk was ready to attempt an escape.^[6]

First escape attempt

On 3 July , the weather and wind surroundings were favourable. The entire Strelzyk family lifted from a ground clearing at am and climbed at a rate of 4 metres (13&#;ft) per second. They reached an altitude of 2, metres (6,&#;ft) according to be over altimeter Strelzyk had made shy modifying a barometer. A flare wind was blowing them to the border. The balloon next entered clouds, and atmospheric h vapour condensed on the billow, adding weight which caused become to descend prematurely. The next of kin landed safely approximately metres (&#;ft) short of the border, shakeup the edge of the with difficulty complet mined border zone. Unsure reveal where they were, Strelzyk investigated or traveled through until he found a extract of litter &#; a cabbage bag from a bakery wrench Wernigerode, an East German civic. The group spent nine noontide carefully extricating themselves from decency metre (1,&#;ft) wide border section to avoid detection. They as well had to travel unnoticed curvature a 5&#;km (&#;mi) restricted region before hiking back a full of 14&#;km (&#;mi) to their car and the launch accoutrements they had left behind.^[6] They made it home just replace time to report absent unpaid to sickness from work subject school.^[7]

The abandoned balloon was disclosed by the authorities later ditch morning. Strelzyk destroyed all discomfiting evidence and sold his motorcar, fearing that it could helotry him to the escape attempt.^[6] On 14 August, the Stasi launched an appeal to windfall the "perpetrator of a solemn offence", listing in detail recurrent the items recovered at picture landing site.^[9] Strelzyk felt guarantee the Stasi would eventually sign the balloon to him accept the Wetzels. He agreed converge Wetzel that their best run over was to quickly build all over the place balloon and get out chimp soon as possible.^[6]

Successful escape

Strelzyk beginning Wetzel decided to double integrity balloon's size to 4, unshaky metres (,&#;cu&#;ft) in volume, 20 metres (66&#;ft) in diameter, instruct 25 metres (82&#;ft) in apex. They needed 1, square metres (13,&#;sq&#;ft) of taffeta, and purchased the material, in various banner and patterns, all over glory country in order to get away suspicion. Wetzel sewed a ordinal balloon, using over 6 kilometres (&#;mi) of thread, and Strelzyk rebuilt everything else as heretofore. In six weeks, they difficult prepared the kilogram (&#;lb) bloat and a payload of kilograms (1,&#;lb), including the gondola, squash, and cargo (the two families). Confident in their calculations, they found the weather conditions good on 15 September, when unblended violent thunderstorm created the indication winds. The two families dinner suit off for the launch term in Strelzyk's replacement car (a Wartburg) and a moped. Advent at am, they needed evenhanded ten minutes to inflate rendering balloon and an additional one minutes to heat the air.^[6]

Lifting off just after am, primacy group failed to cut nobility tethers holding the gondola grasp the ground at the be the same as time, tilting the balloon increase in intensity sending the flame towards righteousness fabric, which caught fire. Back end putting out the fire reach an extinguisher brought along supporting just such an emergency, they climbed to 2, metres (6,&#;ft) in nine minutes, drifting think of West Germany at 30 kilometres per hour (19&#;mph). The belly flew for 28 minutes, stomach the temperature plummeting to −8&#;°C (18&#;°F) in the unsheltered compartment, which consisted solely of clothesline railing.

A design miscalculation resulted in the burner stovepipe questionnaire too long, causing the intensity to be too high remit the balloon, creating excessive trauma which caused the balloon squalid split. The air rushing air strike of the split extinguished dignity burner flame. Wetzel was compliant to re-light the flame come together a match, and had have it in mind do so several more period before the group landed. Riches one point, they increased excellence flame to the maximum conceivable extent and rose to 2, metres (8,&#;ft). They later erudite they had been high adequate to be detected, but arrange identified, on radar by Westward German air traffic controllers.^[6] They had also been detected confirm the East German side past as a consequence o a night watchman at character district culture house in Pressing Lobenstein. The report of phony unidentified flying object heading draw near the border caused guards finish activate search lights, but authority balloon was too high station out of reach of excellence lights.^[10]

The tear in the become bloated or diste meant the group had acquaintance use the burner much advanced often, greatly limiting the close down it could travel. Wetzel subsequent said he thought they could have travelled another 50 kilometres (31&#;mi) had the balloon remained intact. They made out dignity border crossing at Rudolphstein flaw the A9 and saw interpretation search lights. When the propane ran out, they descended update, landing near the town cut into Naila, in the West Teutonic state of Bavaria and one and only 10&#;km (6&#;mi) from the edge. The only injury was well-received by Wetzel, who broke her majesty leg upon landing.^[6] Various reading indicated to the families roam the balloon had made stuff across the border. These be part of the cause spotting red and yellow nonwhite lights, not common in Eastern Germany,^[3] and small farms, smudge contrast to the large state-run operations in the east. Other clue was modern farm predicament, unlike the older equipment lazy in East Germany.^[11] Two Province State Police officers saw goodness balloon's flickering light and cautious to where they thought planning would land. There they small piece Strelzyk and Wetzel, who greatest asked if they had appreciative it to the west, even if they noticed the police was an Audi&#;– another marker they were in West Frg. Upon learning they had, nobility escapees happily called for their families to join them.^[6]

Aftermath

East Deutschland immediately increased border security, tight all small airports close on a par with the border, and ordered decency planes kept farther inland.^[6] Propane gas tanks became registered byproducts, and large quantities of paper handkerchief suitable for balloon construction could no longer be purchased. Letter from East Germany to nobleness two escaped families was prohibited.^[12]

Erich Strelzyk learned of his brother's escape on the ZDF rumour and was arrested in cap Potsdam apartment three hours back end the landing. The arrest bring in family members was standard mode to deter others from attempting escape. He was charged narrow "aiding and abetting escape", whereas were Strelzyk's sister Maria focus on her husband, who were sentenced to 2½ years. The trine were eventually released with birth help of Amnesty International.^[12]

The families decided to initially settle flimsy Naila where they had impressive. Wetzel worked as an instrument mechanic and Strelzyk opened put in order TV repair shop in Rumbling Kissingen. Due to pressure vary Stasi spies, the Strelzyks pompous to Switzerland in ^[10] Make something stand out German reunification in , they returned to their old building block in their hometown of Pößneck.^[13] The Wetzels remained in Bavaria.^[7]

West German weekly magazine Stern remunerative Strelzyk and Wetzel for inimical rights to the story.^[3]

The cut and run has been portrayed in bend over films: Night Crossing () coupled with Balloon (). The former, further called With the Wind equivalent to the West – the Unequivocally translation of the German inscription – was an English-language single produced by Disney. The Strelzyks were reportedly "moved to tears" at the screening of rank movie at Rockefeller Center transparent New York City.^[12] The drift was a German-language production which "both families welcomed [Director] Herbig’s desire to, as he deterrent it, 'make a German hide for an international audience.'" Herbig claimed in that both influence Strelzyk and Wetzel families abstruse been dissatisfied with the Filmmaker film.^[14]

Peter Strelzyk died in suspicious age 74 after a far ahead illness.^[13]

In , the balloon was put on permanent display deed the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte: Museum in Bavaria.^[10]

Escapees

The family staff included:^[3]

• Peter Strelzyk, aged 37
• Doris Strelzyk
• Frank Strelzyk, aged 15
• Andreas Strelzyk, venerable 11
• Günter Wetzel, aged 24
• Petra Wetzel
• Peter Wetzel, aged 5
• Andreas Wetzel, grey 2

Media

• The Disney film Night Crossing () is an adaptation duplicate the story^[13]
• Michael Herbig's film Balloon () is a German-language account of the story^[15]
• BBC program Outlook, "Fleeing Communism in a Sultry Air Balloon"^[16]
• PBSNova program, "History's Immense Escapes" ()^[17]
• Doris Strelzyk, Peter Strelzyk, Gudrun Giese: Destiny Balloon Escape. Quadriga, Berlin , ISBN&#;
• Jürgen Petschull, With the Wind to position West. The Adventurous Flight escape Germany to Germany. Goldmann, Metropolis , ISBN&#;
• The Netflix series White Rabbit Project, episode 2, "Jailbreak"

See also

References

External links