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East Germany balloon escape
 Left to right: Günter Wetzel, Doris Strelzyk, and Peter Strelzyk | |
| Native name | Die Ballonflucht |
|---|---|
| Date | 16 September 1979 |
| Time | 02:00 am (approximate) |
| Duration | 25 minutes |
| Location | Oberlemnitz, East Germany (takeoff) Naila, West Germany (landing) |
| Coordinates | 50°28′59″N 11°35′29″E / 50.48306°N 11.59139°E[1] (takeoff) 50°19′52.7″N 11°40′13.1″E / 50.331306°N 11.670306°E[1] (landing) |
| Organised by | Peter Strelzyk & family Günter Wetzel & family |
| Participants | 8 |
| Outcome | Successful escape to West Germany |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2 |
On 16 September 1979, eight people from two families escaped from East Germany by crossing the border into West Germany at night in a homemade hot air balloon. The unique feat was the result of over a year and a half of preparations involving three different balloons, various modifications, and a first, unsuccessful attempt. The failed attempt alerted the East German authorities to the plot, but the police were unable to identify the escapees before their second, successful flight two months later.
- ^ a b Wetzel, Günter. "Die Nacht der Flucht". Ballonflucht.de. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
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