Skip to content

In the Shadow of the (Berlin) Wall

slowtravelberlin.com
26 pointsyitchelle4 comments
On HN

Comments

The Berlin Wall was built right outside The Neumanns‘ apartment overnight. They lived on its shadow and survived to see it fall. Herbert Neumann documented it all (illegally) on camera. Interview by Thalia Gigerenzer.

One day, when he was walking home from S-Bahnhof Treptow, a tank stopped next to Herr Neumann and a soldier poked his head out, yelling: ‘Does anyone want to go to Neukölln?’ Herr Neumann, caught completely off-guard, did not take the soldier up on the offer. Later, he heard that the soldier had successfully driven his tank through the Wall.

This is fascinating!

Must've been this guy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Engels

Funny how the 2 mean are in each other's story as "anonymous" extras.

"While he managed to escape to West Germany and gain his freedom, he ended up losing touch with his mother, who, being a dedicated communist, rejected him as a traitor to East Germany and denounced his escape."

Ouch.

AboutSource Built by g1lg1l

Hackerly is an independent reader for Hacker News, built on the public HN API. Not affiliated with Y Combinator.