To Freedom Underground with Eyewitness Boris Franzke

The Escape Tunnels Under the Berlin Wall

65 Years Since the Construction of the Berlin Wall

With the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961, the people of East Berlin were suddenly and unexpectedly separated overnight from their families, partners, friends, jobs, and places of study or school in West Berlin. As a result, many people attempted to escape through tunnels they dug themselves to get under the deadly barriers and reach freedom.

In the immediate vicinity of Bernauer Straße—a key site for tunnel construction—the history of Berlin’s escape tunnels is recounted, and visitors are offered a glimpse into the only original escape tunnel from 1970–71—nine meters below the surface. This tunnel is accessible via a roughly 30-meter-long passageway built by Berliner Unterwelten e.V.

Following the guided tour, eyewitness Boris Franzke (born in 1937), one of the most active escape tunnel builders in Berlin in the early 1960s, will speak about his time as an escape helper. He was involved in the construction of seven escape tunnels, only one of which was ultimately successful. Despite the failure of many of his tunnel projects, Boris Franzke never lost hope or motivation—on the contrary: he persistently continued digging, primarily to help family members and friends find their way to freedom in West Berlin.

Translated with DeepL

Meeting point: Brunnenstraße 141, 10115 Berlin

Price info: Tickets are available starting 30 days in advance

Price: €26.00