Page 4- Fighting Back Against the Wall
Because of the less than ideal conditions in the GDR and the rapid construction
of the wall, many people tried to escape the Wall. Some methods of escape
included swimming through canals on the border, jumping out of windows
of buildings near the wall, driving vehicles through the wall and even
hiding inside cars before they drove over the border checkpoints. It is
estimated that 5,043 people successfully scaled the Wall. However, many
of these attempts were unsuccessful. It is estimated that around 230 people
were killed attempting to escape and another 260 were wounded. There are
still memorials today to the victims of the Wall.
Top Left: Man getting out of hiding place inside of a car that drove through
a border checkpoint. Top Right: Soldier on top of the wall. Bottom: Memorial
crosses for people killed trying to escape East Germany
