Victims of the Wall

Victims of the Berlin Wall

1961–1989

Between 1961 and 1989, at least 140 people were killed at the Berlin Wall or died in connection with the East German border regime. Most were trying to reach West Berlin. Others had no intention of crossing at all. This site tells each of their stories.

A Berlin Experiences project

A long rust-coloured steel wall with rows of small black-and-white portrait photographs stands on a lawn in warm, low sunlight; a grey section of the Berlin Wall is on the left and rusted steel rods on the right, with red-roofed houses behind.
The Window of Remembrance at the Berlin Wall Memorial, Bernauer Straße, Berlin, 2011 Photo: Inhiber, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The remembrance wall

Every person who died at the Berlin Wall, in the order they died, from Ida Siekmann on 22 August 1961 to Winfried Freudenberg on 8 March 1989. Select a name to read their story.

  1. Black-and-white photograph of a woman with dark curly hair, set behind glass in a rusted steel niche with her name engraved below Ida Siekmann 1902–1961
  2. Black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of a young dark-haired man in a patterned shirt Günter Litfin 1937–1961
  3. Dark grey information stele with German and English text about Roland Hoff, standing among green shrubs Roland Hoff 1934–1961
  4. Granite slab in the pavement engraved "Dem Opfer der Schandmauer Rudolf Urban † 17.9.1961 gewidmet", crossed by shadows Rudolf Urban 1914–1961
  5. Granite slab in the pavement engraved "Dem Opfer der Schandmauer Olga Segler † 26.9.1961 gewidmet" Olga Segler 1881–1961
  6. Black-and-white photograph of a young man in a suit and tie, hand at his chin, behind glass in a rusted steel niche Bernd Lünser 1939–1961
  7. Tall glass panel in a steel frame with text in four languages around a vertical strip photograph of the riverbank Udo Düllick 1936–1961
  8. Glass panel in a steel frame listing names with small portrait photos, the river behind Werner Probst 1936–1961
  9. White metal-framed plaque on a wooden post with a two-line heading and a list of seventeen names, each followed by age, date and place of death; the second line reads "Lothar Lehmann | 19 Jahre | 26. November 1961 | Havel bei Sacrow". A "forum" logo with a large red f is at the bottom right. Lothar Lehmann 1942–1961
  10. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with swept-back hair in a dark zip-up jacket Dieter Wohlfahrt 1941–1961
  11. Close-up of a white cross on a green wire fence bearing the name Ingo Krüger, with a small metal plate showing a portrait photo and text below Ingo Krüger 1940–1961
  12. Black-and-white halftone portrait of a young man with swept hair, with a caption below crediting the Polizeihistorische Sammlung Georg Feldhahn 1941–1961
  13. Black-and-white photograph of a smiling young woman with long curly hair behind glass in a rusted steel niche, her name engraved below Dorit Schmiel 1941–1962
  14. Dark bronze plaque headed "Zum Gedenken an Heinz Jercha" with text about an escape tunnel Heinz Jercha 1934–1962
  15. Glass panel in a steel frame listing names with small portrait photos, the river behind Philipp Held 1942–1962
  16. Grey stele with a black-and-white portrait of a young man at the top and German and English text below Jörgen Schmidtchen 1941–1962
  17. Dark plate set in concrete in grass inscribed "Klaus Brueske 14.9.1938 18.4.1962 Maueropfer" Klaus Brueske 1938–1962
  18. Dark grey stele with German and English text headed "Peter Böhme", in front of greenery Peter Böhme 1942–1962
  19. Wooden cross with a small plaque against a yellow and red painted brick wall Horst Frank 1942–1962
  20. Reddish granite gravestone against a rough stone wall, framed by shrubs Peter Göring 1940–1962
  21. White crosses on a green fence under autumn trees, each with a name, dates, a black-and-white portrait and a short text; one reads Lutz Haberlandt, 29.04.1938 - 27.05.1962, its lower part hidden by a black traffic bollard Lutz Haberlandt 1938–1962
  22. White crosses and a wreath on a wire fence above the river Spree, with a bridge and a barge in the background; the partly visible cross at the left edge bears the name Hannemann and the date 5.6.1962 Axel Hannemann 1945–1962
  23. Black-and-white photograph of an older woman with glasses and curly hair behind glass in a rusted steel niche, her name engraved below Erna Kelm 1908–1962
  24. Glass panel in a steel frame with text and small photographs, grass and trees behind Wolfgang Glöde 1949–1962
  25. Dark plaque with raised letters stating that an East Berlin family escaped through a tunnel on 18 June 1962 and that the border soldier Reinhold Paul Huhn was shot Reinhold Huhn 1942–1962
  26. Black-and-white photograph of a young man in a suit and tie behind glass in a rusted steel niche, his name engraved below Siegfried Noffke 1939–1962
  27. Rust-brown steel column inscribed "Peter Fechter 1944–1962 … er wollte nur die Freiheit" Peter Fechter 1944–1962
  28. Large granite boulder on cobbles engraved with a list of names and dates under "Den Opfern der Mauer" Hans-Dieter Wesa 1943–1962
  29. Black-and-white photograph of a man in a peaked cap and dark coat behind glass in a steel niche, his name engraved below Ernst Mundt 1921–1962
  30. Black-and-white portrait of a young man in a uniform jacket with collar tabs Günter Seling 1940–1962
  31. Glass memorial panel with a column of names, dates and small portrait photographs, standing on a riverside promenade with the river and buildings behind it Anton Walzer 1902–1962
  32. Tall orange column inscribed 'Horst Plischke · Herbert Mende' beside two grey panel posts, in front of a brick wall and autumn trees Horst Plischke 1939–1962
  33. Tall rusted-steel panel with a black-and-white photograph of a wooden memorial sign and a cross behind barbed wire, above a German and English text headed 'Ottfried Reck' Otfried Reck 1944–1962
  34. Dark panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a smiling young man, above a German and English text headed 'Günter Wiedenhöft' Günter Wiedenhöft 1942–1962
  35. Row of white metal crosses set in dark perforated panels along a riverside railing, in front of a large modern glass building Hans Räwel 1941–1963
  36. Black-and-white portrait photograph of a man with short dark hair and an open collar, reproduced on a weathered panel Horst Kutscher 1931–1963
  37. Black-and-white portrait photograph of a young man with dark hair, above the printed caption with his name and dates Peter Kreitlow 1943–1963
  38. Glass memorial panel with a column of names, dates and small portrait photographs, standing on a riverside promenade with the river and buildings behind it Wolf-Olaf Muszynski 1947–1963
  39. Tall orange column inscribed 'Peter Mädler · Karl-Heinz Kube' beside two grey posts with text panels, flowers and wreaths on sand at the base Peter Mädler 1943–1963
  40. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with short dark hair in a uniform jacket, with a printed caption below Siegfried Widera 1941–1963
  41. Row of white crosses on dark perforated panels, each with a small black-and-white portrait photograph and a text Klaus Schröter 1940–1963
  42. Large granite boulder on a cobbled base with engraved names and dates under the heading 'Den Opfern der Mauer' Dietmar Schulz 1939–1963
  43. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with wavy dark hair in a jacket, white shirt and tie, with a printed caption below Dieter Berger 1939–1963
  44. Paul Schultz 1945–1963
  45. Two tall glass panels with printed text and small portrait photographs in steel frames beside a pavement, with a wreath and fir branches on the ground Walter Hayn 1939–1964
  46. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with dark hair in a jacket, white shirt and dark tie Adolf Philipp 1943–1964
  47. A long section of white-painted concrete wall with three information boards in front of it stands on a dry lawn among bare trees; apartment and office buildings rise behind. Walter Heike 1934–1964
  48. Dark panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a young man, above a German and English text headed 'Norbert Wolscht' Norbert Wolscht 1943–1964
  49. Dark panel without a photograph, with a German and English text headed 'Rainer Gneiser', born 10 January 1944, drowned 28 July 1964 Rainer Gneiser 1944–1964
  50. Black-and-white portrait of a woman with glasses and short dark hair, set in a rusted steel niche engraved 'Hildegard Trabant 12.6.1927 – 18.8.1964' Hildegard Trabant 1927–1964
  51. Faded black-and-white photograph of a young man in a light shirt, set in a rusted steel niche engraved 'Wernhard Mispelhorn 10.11.1945 – 20.8.1964' Wernhard Mispelhorn 1945–1964
  52. Black-and-white portrait of a young man in a peaked uniform cap and uniform jacket, looking to the side Egon Schultz 1943–1964
  53. Tall glass panel in a steel frame with printed text and three small portrait photographs, a white rose lying at its foot Hans-Joachim Wolf 1947–1964
  54. Dark stele with a black-and-white portrait of a young man above a German and English text headed 'Joachim Mehr', standing in a pine forest Joachim Mehr 1945–1964
  55. Glass memorial panel with a column of names, dates and small portrait photographs, standing on a riverside promenade with the river and buildings behind it Unidentified fugitive ?–1965
  56. Dark stele with a black-and-white portrait of a young man above a German and English text headed 'Christian Buttkus', in bare woodland Christian Buttkus 1944–1965
  57. Glass memorial panel with a column of names, dates and small portrait photographs, standing on a riverside promenade with the river and buildings behind it Ulrich Krzemien 1940–1965
  58. Black-and-white portrait photograph of a man with swept-back dark hair, a dark jacket and a patterned shirt, with a printed caption below Peter Hauptmann 1939–1965
  59. Dark stele with a black-and-white portrait of a man in a dark suit and tie above a German and English text headed 'Hermann Döbler' Hermann Döbler 1922–1965
  60. Klaus Kratzel 1940–1965
  61. Tall orange column bearing the name "Klaus Garten" beside a grey panel with text, in front of dense green bushes Klaus Garten 1941–1965
  62. Panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a young dark-haired man, above German and English text headed "Walter Kittel" Walter Kittel 1942–1965
  63. Tall panel with a black-and-white photograph of a wooden cross with flowers, above German and English text headed "Heinz Cyrus" Heinz Cyrus 1936–1965
  64. Tall dark wooden cross with a white sign reading "Heinz Sokolowski 48 J. Ost-Berlin † 25.11.65 – nach 7 Jahren DDR-Haft erschossen auf der Flucht", in front of white crosses and trees; a woman stands looking at it Heinz Sokolowski 1917–1965
  65. Two tall glass panels in steel frames printed with text and small portrait photographs, with a wreath and flowers at their foot beside a street Erich Kühn 1903–1965
  66. Colour photograph of a border checkpoint: an empty paved roadway leads to low corrugated huts with signs for cars (PKW) and lorries (LKW); a long concrete wall runs along the right, curved street lamps and a small watch building stand on the left. Heinz Schöneberger 1938–1965
  67. Tall glass panel in a steel frame with German text and small black-and-white photographs, including a portrait of a young man, beside a road Dieter Brandes 1946–1966
  68. Black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of a young man with dark swept-back hair and an open-necked patterned shirt Willi Block 1934–1966
  69. Dark grey metal sculpture of a broken wall with bullet holes and a child-shaped opening, beside an upright slab with an inscribed plaque, with flowers and candles at its foot Jörg Hartmann 1955–1966
  70. Dark grey metal sculpture of a broken wall with bullet holes and a child-shaped opening, beside an upright slab with an inscribed plaque, with flowers and candles at its foot Lothar Schleusener 1953–1966
  71. Panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a young man in a white shirt and tie, above German and English text headed "Willi Marzahn" Willi Marzahn 1944–1966
  72. Panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a smiling young man with light hair, above German and English text headed "Eberhard Schulz" Eberhard Schulz 1946–1966
  73. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with thick dark hair, wearing a jacket and tie, with the caption "Michael Kollender, 1965, Foto: Privatbesitz" Michael Kollender 1945–1966
  74. A canal with a sloping stone embankment runs into the distance; on the left a red-brick wall with small pointed pillars, a lawn and large buildings, with bare shrubs along the bank. Paul Stretz 1935–1966
  75. Grainy black-and-white portrait of a young man with swept-back hair, with the caption "Eduard Wroblewski, Mai 1956, Foto: Privatbesitz" Eduard Wroblewski 1933–1966
  76. Heinz Schmidt 1919–1966
  77. Tall glass panel in a steel frame with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, in front of the river Spree Andreas Senk 1960–1966
  78. Black-and-white portrait of a young man with a long fringe, wearing a dark polo-neck and leather jacket, with the caption "Karl-Heinz Kube, Aufnahmedatum unbekannt, Foto: Privatbesitz" Karl-Heinz Kube 1949–1966
  79. Black-and-white portrait of a man with short dark hair, wearing a jacket and patterned tie, with the caption "Max Sahmland, 1. Januar 1967, Foto: ullstein bild" Max Sahmland 1929–1967
  80. Grainy black-and-white portrait of a young man with dark hair, wearing a jacket and white shirt, with a caption naming Franciszek Piesik Franciszek Piesik 1942–1967
  81. Black-and-white portrait of a young woman with long dark hair, printed on glass inside a rusted steel frame, with the name "Elke Weckeiser" cut into the steel below Elke Weckeiser 1945–1968
  82. Row of white crosses with small portrait photographs, names and text, mounted on perforated dark metal panels in front of water Dieter Weckeiser 1943–1968
  83. Panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a man in a white shirt and tie, above German and English text headed "Herbert Mende" Herbert Mende 1939–1968
  84. Tall glass panel in a steel frame with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, in front of the river Spree Bernd Lehmann 1949–1968
  85. Colour photograph of the Brandenburg Gate with its quadriga at the far end of a wide, empty square lined with lamp posts and young trees; a low brick wall and planters in the foreground under a hazy blue sky. Siegfried Krug 1939–1968
  86. Panel with a large black-and-white photograph of a smiling young man in a white shirt holding a racket, above German and English text headed "Horst Körner" Horst Körner 1947–1968
  87. Black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of a young man with short dark hair in a uniform collar Rolf Henniger 1941–1968
  88. Johannes Lange 1940–1969
  89. Klaus-Jürgen Kluge 1948–1969
  90. Leo Lis 1924–1969
  91. Dark stele with printed German and English text headed by the names Christel Wehage and Eckhard Wehage, in front of bushes and trees Christel Wehage 1946–1970
  92. Dark stele with printed German and English text headed by the names Christel Wehage and Eckhard Wehage, in front of bushes and trees Eckhard Wehage 1948–1970
  93. Tall glass panel in a metal frame on a riverside path, printed with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, the river and buildings behind Heinz Müller 1943–1970
  94. Dark memorial stele in a pine forest with a large black-and-white photograph of a young man with dark hair and printed text below Willi Born 1950–1970
  95. Friedhelm Ehrlich 1950–1970
  96. Two tall glass panels in metal frames beside a street, printed with text and small portraits, with a wreath of red and yellow flowers and a black ribbon in front Gerald Thiem 1928–1970
  97. Black-and-white photograph of a young man with light wavy hair and an open white shirt, outdoors, with the credit "Quelle: Privatbesitz" at the edge Helmut Kliem 1939–1970
  98. Hans-Joachim Zock 1940–1970
  99. Tall glass panel in a metal frame printed with multilingual text, a map and several small black-and-white portraits, with bare trees and grass behind it Christian Peter Friese 1948–1970
  100. Dark memorial stele with printed German and English text standing in a pine forest Rolf-Dieter Kabelitz 1951–1971
  101. Wolfgang Hoffmann 1942–1971
  102. Tall glass panel in a metal frame printed with text and three small portraits with names and dates, a white rose at its foot, beside a paved path Werner Kühl 1949–1971
  103. Row of six white crosses on a green fence under trees, each with a name, dates, a black-and-white portrait and a short text; the second cross from the right reads Dieter Beilig, 05.09.1941 - 02.10.1971 Dieter Beilig 1941–1971
  104. Dark stele topped by a black-and-white photograph of a boy in a patterned sweater, above printed German and English text Horst Kullack 1948–1972
  105. Tall glass panel in a metal frame on a riverside path, printed with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, the river and buildings behind Manfred Weylandt 1942–1972
  106. Black-and-white head-and-shoulders photograph of a young man with a side parting and a patterned shirt Klaus Schulze 1953–1972
  107. Tall glass panel in a metal frame on a riverside path, printed with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, the river and buildings behind Cengaver Katrancı 1964–1972
  108. Dark stele topped by a coarse-grained black-and-white photograph of a small child's face, above printed German and English text, in dry grass Holger H. 1971–1973
  109. Volker Frommann 1944–1973
  110. Tall glass panel in a metal frame printed with text and four small portraits with names and dates, trees reflected in the glass Horst Einsiedel 1940–1973
  111. Manfred Gertzki 1942–1973
  112. Tall glass panel in a metal frame on a riverside path, printed with text and a column of small portrait photographs with names and dates, the river and buildings behind Siegfried Kroboth 1968–1973
  113. Rows of tall dark wooden crosses standing in white gravel under a pale sky; the nearest cross, right of centre, carries a black-and-white portrait of a young man and a label reading "Burkhard Niering, Todesopfer an der Berliner Mauer, 5. Januar 1974, im Alter von 23 Jahren", with an English translation. Burkhard Niering 1950–1974
  114. Black-and-white portrait of a young man in a jacket behind glass in a rusted steel niche, a red tulip lying below and the name and dates Czesław Jan Kukuczka 23.7.1935 – 29.3.1974 engraved beneath Czesław Jan Kukuczka 1935–1974
  115. Dark stele topped by a black-and-white photograph of an older man in a suit and tie, above printed German and English text Johannes Sprenger 1905–1974
  116. Tall glass panel in a metal frame on a riverside path, listing names, dates and small photographs of victims, with the river and buildings behind Giuseppe Savoca 1968–1974
  117. Herbert Halli 1953–1975
  118. Metal information board with German and English text, a black-and-white photograph of a young boy, and a map of the park Çetin Mert 1970–1975
  119. Tall orange column bearing his name standing in a wood, next to a slim grey post with a portrait photograph and text panel Herbert Kiebler 1952–1975
  120. Tall orange column bearing his name in front of an ivy hedge, next to a grey post with a portrait and text panel Lothar Hennig 1954–1975
  121. Black-and-white photograph of a young man with long dark curly hair and a roll-neck sweater, looking down Dietmar Schwietzer 1958–1977
  122. Henri Weise 1954–1977
  123. Tall orange column with the name Wladimir Iwanowitsch Odinzow and a grey text post beside a path at the edge of a field, with wreaths and flowers at the foot Vladimir Ivanovich Odintsov 1960–1979
  124. Black-and-white head-and-shoulders portrait of a young man with dark hair in a uniform jacket with collar patches, white shirt and tie Ulrich Steinhauer 1956–1980
  125. Black-and-white photograph of a smiling young woman with short dark hair, set in a rusted steel niche engraved with her name and dates Marienetta Jirkowsky 1962–1980
  126. Peter Grohganz 1948–1980
  127. Dr. Johannes Muschol 1949–1981
  128. Black-and-white close-up portrait of a young man with short fair hair, with a caption strip below Hans-Jürgen Starrost 1955–1981
  129. Colour photograph of a single railway track curving between a grassy strip and a long white concrete wall towards a steel arch bridge; apartment buildings stand behind the wall on the right. Thomas Taubmann 1955–1981
  130. Colour photograph of a single railway track curving between a grassy strip and a long white concrete wall towards a steel arch bridge; apartment buildings stand behind the wall on the right. Lothar Fritz Freie 1955–1982
  131. Tall glass panel in a metal frame among trees, listing names, dates and small photographs of four victims next to explanatory text Silvio Proksch 1962–1983
  132. Large granite boulder on a paved circle, engraved with a list of names and death dates under the heading "Den Opfern der Mauer" Michael Schmidt 1964–1984
  133. Tall orange column bearing his name in a wood, next to a grey post with a portrait of a young man with long dark hair and a text panel Rainer Liebeke 1951–1986
  134. Two tall glass panels in metal frames with text and small portraits, and a wreath with a black ribbon at their foot Manfred Mäder 1948–1986
  135. Two tall glass panels in metal frames with text and small portraits, and a wreath with a black ribbon at their foot René Gross 1964–1986
  136. Black-and-white photograph of a young man with dark hair, jacket and tie, set in a rusted steel niche Michael Bittner 1961–1986
  137. Black-and-white portrait of a smiling young man with short hair, in a jacket with a flower at the lapel, with a caption strip below Lutz Schmidt 1962–1987
  138. Black-and-white photograph of a border checkpoint: a road with barriers, stop signs and a row of curved street lamps leads towards low buildings and tall poplars; two people stand beside a kiosk on the right. Ingolf Diederichs 1964–1989
  139. Black-and-white photograph of a young man with thick dark hair, set in a rusted steel niche engraved with his name and dates Chris Gueffroy 1968–1989
  140. Black-and-white photograph of a bearded man in a jacket and tie, set in a rusted steel niche engraved with his name and dates Winfried Freudenberg 1956–1989

125 of 140 people are shown with a photograph of themselves or of their memorial, all freely licensed from Wikimedia Commons. For the others no freely licensed image is available. Photographers and licences are credited on each person's page and on the image credits page.

Where they died

Two thirds of the deaths happened inside the city, on the sector border between East and West Berlin. The other third happened on the outer ring, where West Berlin met the East German countryside. Select a pin to read about the person who died there.

The rust line shows the course of the Wall in 1989 on a present-day map. Pins mark where each person was fatally injured, as closely as the historical record allows; many positions are approximate.

Elevated view over a preserved section of the former border strip: a sandy strip with lamp posts and a watchtower between two concrete walls, trees beyond and the Berlin TV tower on the skyline.
The preserved border strip at the Berlin Wall Memorial site, Bernauer Straße, seen from above, 2015 Photo: MB-one, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When they died

Half of the deaths happened in the first five years. As the border was rebuilt with more sophisticated barriers from the mid-1960s, and especially after 1975, fewer people died, but deaths continued until the end. The last person was shot in February 1989, nine months before the Wall opened.

Black-and-white photograph: a crane lowers a large concrete block beside other blocks behind barbed wire; a worker guides it while a man in uniform with a gun and men in suits watch in front of a building.
Construction of the Wall in Berlin, August 1961: concrete blocks are set up with a crane behind barbed wire (Bundesarchiv, Bild 173-1321, photo: Helmut J. Wolf) Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 173-1321 / Helmut J. Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Shot 99
  • Drowned 24
  • Fall, accident or other injury 14
  • Suicide after a failed escape 3
The Wall is built, 13 August
Rebuilding as the “modern border” begins
Helsinki Accords, August
The Wall opens, 9 November
Each square is one person, placed in the year they died. Select a square to read their story. Years are counted as in the Hertle/Nooke study; Peter Grohganz, who drowned between December 1980 and February 1981, is counted in 1981.
Show as a table
YearShotDrownedFall, accident or other injurySuicide after a failed escapeTotal
1961 444– 12
1962 184–– 22
1963 712– 10
1964 82–– 10
1965 822– 12
1966 111–– 12
1967 11–– 2
1968 61–– 7
1969 3––– 3
1970 51–3 9
1971 3–1– 4
1972 31–– 4
1973 212– 5
1974 31–– 4
1975 31–– 4
1976 –––– –
1977 11–– 2
1978 –––– –
1979 1––– 1
1980 2––– 2
1981 211– 4
1982 1––– 1
1983 1––– 1
1984 1––– 1
1985 –––– –
1986 31–– 4
1987 1––– 1
1988 –––– –
1989 1–2– 3
Total9924143140
Elevated colour photograph of the border strip: a wide sandy strip with a long line of anti-vehicle obstacles and a patrol road runs between walls, lined by old apartment and factory buildings; cars are parked in the foreground.
The border strip in East Berlin seen from the Axel Springer building, August 1984 Photo: George Garrigues (BeenAroundAWhile at en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

The victims were young and old, from East and West. They included young children from West Berlin who fell into the border waters and could not be rescued, and border soldiers killed on duty.

Who they were

Died trying to escape
101
Killed with no intention to escape
31
East German border soldiers killed on duty
8

Groups as defined by the Hertle/Nooke study.

How they died

Shot
99
Drowned
24
Fall, accident or other injury
14
Suicide after a failed escape
3

Willi Marzahn is counted as shot; the source records that he was shot dead or took his own life.

Where they died

Inner city, between East and West Berlin
93
Outer ring, between West Berlin and Brandenburg
47

The outer ring separated West Berlin from the surrounding GDR countryside.

Age at death

Under 14
6
14 to 17
4
18 to 20
29
21 to 29
62
30 to 39
15
40 to 59
9
60 and over
4

Calculated from full dates of birth and death. For 11 people the exact dates are not recorded.

Questions people ask

Longer articles on how many people died, who they were, and what happened afterwards.

All articles

Remembering them

For decades, many of these deaths were hidden. The East German state concealed what had happened, gave families false accounts of how their relatives died and pressed them to stay silent. Many families learned the truth only in the 1990s, when the archives were opened.

The stories on this site are summaries of the biographies researched by historians at the Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam and the Berlin Wall Foundation. Each profile links to the full biography and further reading.

Read all 140 stories

Seven white crosses with names and dates on dark perforated metal panels stand along a river railing; behind them are the water and a large modern glass-and-concrete building.
The White Crosses memorial on the bank of the Spree in front of the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus, Berlin, 2016 Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons