Helena Merriman

Did the government, U.S. government, know about this payment that they were working together?

Did the government, U.S. government, know about this payment that they were working together?

They dug for two months, more than 100 feet, longer than a basketball court, and had gone under the wall into East Berlin. But one day, they noticed a drip in the tunnel. Eventually, the leak got worse and was flooding the tunnel, and they realized they had to give up. Meanwhile, the East German government kept fortifying the Berlin Wall.

They dug for two months, more than 100 feet, longer than a basketball court, and had gone under the wall into East Berlin. But one day, they noticed a drip in the tunnel. Eventually, the leak got worse and was flooding the tunnel, and they realized they had to give up. Meanwhile, the East German government kept fortifying the Berlin Wall.

They built a second inner wall about 100 yards behind the outer wall. The land in between became known as the Death Strip. Getting over the wall became even harder.

They built a second inner wall about 100 yards behind the outer wall. The land in between became known as the Death Strip. Getting over the wall became even harder.

The other tunnel ended beneath a house on the east side of the border. They would have to dig up into it. But they didn't know the people who lived there. They decided to go ahead with the plan anyway. They sent word to the people hoping to escape East Berlin to come to the house on August 7th, almost one year since the Berlin Wall was built.

The other tunnel ended beneath a house on the east side of the border. They would have to dig up into it. But they didn't know the people who lived there. They decided to go ahead with the plan anyway. They sent word to the people hoping to escape East Berlin to come to the house on August 7th, almost one year since the Berlin Wall was built.

It was the woman who lived in the house. She'd seen Joachim and the other diggers sawing through the floor and started screaming at them to leave. She ran outside where the Stasi were already waiting. Someone working with the diggers was a Stasi informant. He'd tip them off.

It was the woman who lived in the house. She'd seen Joachim and the other diggers sawing through the floor and started screaming at them to leave. She ran outside where the Stasi were already waiting. Someone working with the diggers was a Stasi informant. He'd tip them off.

Joachim decided to keep going and broke through the floor. He and the other diggers pulled themselves up through the hole and found themselves in an empty living room.

Joachim decided to keep going and broke through the floor. He and the other diggers pulled themselves up through the hole and found themselves in an empty living room.

They escape. But many of the East Germans who'd come to the house were arrested by the Stasi waiting there. A month later, Joachim and the others decided to try again. We'll be right back. After their first failed escape attempt, Joachim Rudolph and his friends went back to check on the first tunnel they dug, the one that was flooding underneath the cocktail stirrer factory.

They escape. But many of the East Germans who'd come to the house were arrested by the Stasi waiting there. A month later, Joachim and the others decided to try again. We'll be right back. After their first failed escape attempt, Joachim Rudolph and his friends went back to check on the first tunnel they dug, the one that was flooding underneath the cocktail stirrer factory.

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.

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.