Helena Merriman
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Appearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
One person was smuggled out of East Germany in a specially modified tiny BMW. Others snuck out under pig carcasses in a refrigerated truck. One man swam four hours across a canal to escape. Another man invented a small submarine scooter that would pull him across the Baltic Sea.
One person was smuggled out of East Germany in a specially modified tiny BMW. Others snuck out under pig carcasses in a refrigerated truck. One man swam four hours across a canal to escape. Another man invented a small submarine scooter that would pull him across the Baltic Sea.
An acrobat named Horst Klein crawled on a tightrope across the border, but months later went back to East Berlin after his wife sent him letters saying she couldn't live without him. It was a trap, and he was arrested and sentenced to hard labor. In 1979, two families attempted an escape over the wall in a homemade hot air balloon.
An acrobat named Horst Klein crawled on a tightrope across the border, but months later went back to East Berlin after his wife sent him letters saying she couldn't live without him. It was a trap, and he was arrested and sentenced to hard labor. In 1979, two families attempted an escape over the wall in a homemade hot air balloon.
They made the balloon in secret out of small pieces of taffeta sewn together. One night in September, the two families took off. They spread out in the balloon's basket.
They made the balloon in secret out of small pieces of taffeta sewn together. One night in September, the two families took off. They spread out in the balloon's basket.
Then they got turned around and weren't sure which way to fly, so they just hoped for the best. They went up more than 6,000 feet in the air. It was less than 20 degrees. And then their gas went out. They started to go down, brushed over some trees, and were on the ground.
Then they got turned around and weren't sure which way to fly, so they just hoped for the best. They went up more than 6,000 feet in the air. It was less than 20 degrees. And then their gas went out. They started to go down, brushed over some trees, and were on the ground.
They'd made it to West Germany. Between 1961 and 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, at least 600 people were killed trying to cross from East Germany to the West. 140 of them were killed at the Berlin Wall. 91 of them were shot.
They'd made it to West Germany. Between 1961 and 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down, at least 600 people were killed trying to cross from East Germany to the West. 140 of them were killed at the Berlin Wall. 91 of them were shot.
Not long after the escape, the very first woman through the tunnel, Evie, whose baby daughter was carried behind her, got divorced. She and Joachim started dating, and in 1971, they got married.
Not long after the escape, the very first woman through the tunnel, Evie, whose baby daughter was carried behind her, got divorced. She and Joachim started dating, and in 1971, they got married.
In 2012, Joachim and the other diggers were awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, one of Germany's most prestigious awards. Criminal is created by Lauren Spohr and me. Nadia Wilson is our senior producer. Katie Bishop is our supervising producer. Our producers are Susanna Robertson, Jackie Sajico, Lily Clark, Lena Sillison, and Megan Kinane. Our show is mixed and engineered by Veronica Simonetti.
In 2012, Joachim and the other diggers were awarded the Federal Cross of Merit, one of Germany's most prestigious awards. Criminal is created by Lauren Spohr and me. Nadia Wilson is our senior producer. Katie Bishop is our supervising producer. Our producers are Susanna Robertson, Jackie Sajico, Lily Clark, Lena Sillison, and Megan Kinane. Our show is mixed and engineered by Veronica Simonetti.
Helena Merriman is the author of the book Tunnel 29, and she made a podcast for the BBC with the same name. You can listen at the link in our show notes. Julian Alexander makes original illustrations for each episode of Criminal. You can see them at thisiscriminal.com. And you can sign up for our newsletter at thisiscriminal.com slash newsletter.