Helena Merriman

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.

The west side of Berlin was run by the U.S. and its allies, the east side by the Soviets.

The west side of Berlin was run by the U.S. and its allies, the east side by the Soviets.

And then on the other side of the street, they're watching movies from Hollywood and listening to the Beatles.

And then on the other side of the street, they're watching movies from Hollywood and listening to the Beatles.

One reason people were leaving was because of the state-run police force, the Stasi.

One reason people were leaving was because of the state-run police force, the Stasi.

Including what you smelled like. The Stasi collected dissenter's scents on pieces of yellow fabric, collected from things they'd touched, and stored them in airtight jars. If the person went missing, a tracker dog could use the scent on the fabric to hunt them down. They wiretapped phones, opened mail, and planted microphones inside people's homes.

Including what you smelled like. The Stasi collected dissenter's scents on pieces of yellow fabric, collected from things they'd touched, and stored them in airtight jars. If the person went missing, a tracker dog could use the scent on the fabric to hunt them down. They wiretapped phones, opened mail, and planted microphones inside people's homes.

They had a division of garbage analysis, looking in people's trash for signs of disloyalty. Eventually, the Stasi also used psychological tactics to intimidate and harass people they deemed a threat. They'd call you over and over and hang up, or spread rumors about you or your family.

They had a division of garbage analysis, looking in people's trash for signs of disloyalty. Eventually, the Stasi also used psychological tactics to intimidate and harass people they deemed a threat. They'd call you over and over and hang up, or spread rumors about you or your family.

They'd send you pornography in the mail to embarrass you, or break into your home and move your socks around, or change your alarm clock so it went off in the middle of the night.

They'd send you pornography in the mail to embarrass you, or break into your home and move your socks around, or change your alarm clock so it went off in the middle of the night.

There were lots of reasons that people became informants. Some thought they were being patriotic. Some people were offered money. Others were blackmailed into it. More than 10,000 children became informants, sometimes spying on their parents.

There were lots of reasons that people became informants. Some thought they were being patriotic. Some people were offered money. Others were blackmailed into it. More than 10,000 children became informants, sometimes spying on their parents.

Meanwhile, the cost of food in East Germany kept going up, wages were going down, and then the government told people they had to work more without additional pay. In 1953, people began to protest all over the country. The government responded with tanks.