The Berlin Wall total length 156.4km, 43.7km through Berlin and 112.7km around the outskirts. This can be broken down to
63.8km through built up areas
32km through woods
22.7 through open terrain
38km water border, lakes and rivers
The Wall was actually comprised of two walls with a no man's land or death strip of between 500 & 750mt wide, 186 watchtowers, 31command towers & 484 guard dogs.
Amazingly there were 5075 successful escapes through the death strip and under and over the wall, this also included 574 desertions by East German border guards. Sadly there were at least 136 deaths that are known about of failed attempts to escape.
The wall went up overnight, 13th August 1961, West Berliner's woke to find their city cut off from the rest of the world , East Berliners cut off from any escape to the west via West Berlin. Supplies of essentials were air lifted to West Berlin until such time as the Russians backed down and let supplies in by road and water again .
following the route of the wall
dirt tracks, paved tracks
Along the way are remains of the wall with information boards telling of the human stories
Die Glienicke Brüker , famous bridge in Potsdam where spies were swapped in 60's, this bridge was the border between the USSR sector and the American sector.
The sign for Mauerweg , Wall way, follow these signs to trace the path of the wall.
Over the past two summers we have explored much of the wall, endlessly fascinating. Have also met people who have escaped via the sewer, others who were penalised because their son escaped, so many stories.
63.8km through built up areas
32km through woods
22.7 through open terrain
38km water border, lakes and rivers
The Wall was actually comprised of two walls with a no man's land or death strip of between 500 & 750mt wide, 186 watchtowers, 31command towers & 484 guard dogs.
Amazingly there were 5075 successful escapes through the death strip and under and over the wall, this also included 574 desertions by East German border guards. Sadly there were at least 136 deaths that are known about of failed attempts to escape.
The wall went up overnight, 13th August 1961, West Berliner's woke to find their city cut off from the rest of the world , East Berliners cut off from any escape to the west via West Berlin. Supplies of essentials were air lifted to West Berlin until such time as the Russians backed down and let supplies in by road and water again .
following the route of the wall
dirt tracks, paved tracks
Along the way are remains of the wall with information boards telling of the human stories
Die Glienicke Brüker , famous bridge in Potsdam where spies were swapped in 60's, this bridge was the border between the USSR sector and the American sector.
The sign for Mauerweg , Wall way, follow these signs to trace the path of the wall.Over the past two summers we have explored much of the wall, endlessly fascinating. Have also met people who have escaped via the sewer, others who were penalised because their son escaped, so many stories.
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