Helena Merriman
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Appearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
This time, they didn't tell as many people what they were doing. On September 14th, Joachim and two other diggers crawled to the East Berlin end of the tunnel and started to dig up into the basement of an apartment building. There was a new leak, and water was starting to flood the tunnel again. The NBC film crew was set up on a balcony overlooking the wall in West Berlin.
It was such a good location that the diggers asked if they could use it to send their final signal that the tunnel was ready. They'd hang a white sheet out a window.
It was such a good location that the diggers asked if they could use it to send their final signal that the tunnel was ready. They'd hang a white sheet out a window.
Joachim and the diggers got through the floor of the basement of the apartment building. It was empty. The film crew hung the white sheet out the window. A woman working with them named Ellen saw it from East Berlin. That was her cue to make three stops at nearby bars, where the people hoping to escape were waiting.
Joachim and the diggers got through the floor of the basement of the apartment building. It was empty. The film crew hung the white sheet out the window. A woman working with them named Ellen saw it from East Berlin. That was her cue to make three stops at nearby bars, where the people hoping to escape were waiting.
They would know it was safe to go when they saw a woman come in and order something specific.
They would know it was safe to go when they saw a woman come in and order something specific.
Joachim was waiting for them in the basement. Finally, the escapees started to arrive in small groups. They started making their way through the tunnels.
Joachim was waiting for them in the basement. Finally, the escapees started to arrive in small groups. They started making their way through the tunnels.
The first person to go through the tunnel was a woman named Evie.
The first person to go through the tunnel was a woman named Evie.
Did the Stasi have any idea that this had happened?
Did the Stasi have any idea that this had happened?
NBC News edited their footage into a documentary film. And then word got out that the network had been filming, and even quietly funding, a tunnel operation.
NBC News edited their footage into a documentary film. And then word got out that the network had been filming, and even quietly funding, a tunnel operation.
The U.S. government was worried about starting a nuclear war with Russia.
The U.S. government was worried about starting a nuclear war with Russia.