Helena Merriman

Support for Criminal comes from BetterHelp. Fall isn't my favorite time of year. I like summer. And when fall comes around, the days are getting shorter, vacations are behind us, and there's a sort of back-to-school anxiety in the air. If you haven't been feeling like yourself, you could consider a session with a licensed therapist.

Support for Criminal comes from BetterHelp. Fall isn't my favorite time of year. I like summer. And when fall comes around, the days are getting shorter, vacations are behind us, and there's a sort of back-to-school anxiety in the air. If you haven't been feeling like yourself, you could consider a session with a licensed therapist.

It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, and suited to you and your schedule. Visit BetterHelp.com slash criminal today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash criminal.

It's entirely online, designed to be convenient, and suited to you and your schedule. Visit BetterHelp.com slash criminal today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com slash criminal.

In October of 1961, Joachim Rudolph was a college student going to school in West Berlin.

In October of 1961, Joachim Rudolph was a college student going to school in West Berlin.

It was just two months after the Berlin Wall had gone up overnight. Even the people building the wall hadn't known about it beforehand.

It was just two months after the Berlin Wall had gone up overnight. Even the people building the wall hadn't known about it beforehand.

Helena Merriman is a journalist and author.

Helena Merriman is a journalist and author.

They used the barbed wire to mark the border between East Berlin and West Berlin.

They used the barbed wire to mark the border between East Berlin and West Berlin.

In a matter of hours, a barrier more than 25 miles long had gone up, cutting the city in two.

In a matter of hours, a barrier more than 25 miles long had gone up, cutting the city in two.

As the weeks went on, the wall became more and more fortified. Concrete slabs went up. Soldiers and police were guarding it. East Germans were trapped. And some West Germans started trying to get them out. When Joachim Rudolph answered the door that day in late 1961, three other students were there.

As the weeks went on, the wall became more and more fortified. Concrete slabs went up. Soldiers and police were guarding it. East Germans were trapped. And some West Germans started trying to get them out. When Joachim Rudolph answered the door that day in late 1961, three other students were there.

Joachim was an engineering student. He liked to build and fix things.

Joachim was an engineering student. He liked to build and fix things.

This is Criminal. When the Berlin Wall went up, Germany had already been divided for 16 years, since the end of World War II.

This is Criminal. When the Berlin Wall went up, Germany had already been divided for 16 years, since the end of World War II.