After the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961, tunnel builder Joachim Neumann enabled 89 people to escape from East Berlin to West Berlin. It is a gripping story that intertwines moments of joy and sorrow. In front of a packed audience at the theatre of the Neues CAPITOL in Bad Berleburg, the now 87-year-old Joachim Neumann shared his extraordinary life story.
Joining him was renowned author Maja Nielsen, who wrote the book The Tunnel Builder. Through numerous real-life examples, the story vividly illustrates the direct confrontation between democracy and the harsh realities of dictatorship. “Living in a democracy is not something we can take for granted. It is something worth standing up for,” says Joachim Neumann.
This remarkable event was made possible by Monika Schröder, owner of the Berleburg bookstore.
Using forged documents, Joachim Neumann managed to escape from East Berlin to the western part of the city in October 1961. He was forced to leave behind his girlfriend, Chris, as well as many close friends. Once safely in West Berlin, he dedicated himself to helping others flee the GDR. Together with fellow escape helpers, he dug several tunnels from West Berlin to East Berlin—constantly fearing discovery by the Stasi, yet never giving up hope of seeing Chris again. In the end, that hope became reality.