Date: May 5, 1963
Photographer: Express News Paper Photographer
Details: The background of the photograph is rooted in the story of Heinz Mixner, an Austrian engineer working in West Berlin. While visiting East Berlin on a tourist visa, he met and fell in love with Margaret Thoraau. Desperate to marry her and move to Austria with her mother, the couple faced the daunting barrier of the Berlin Wall. With the East German authorities refusing to allow their move, their love story was at risk. To preserve their relationship, they devised a daring escape plan.
The plan began with Heinz Mixner riding a borrowed motorcycle to the Berlin Wall, where he stopped at Checkpoint Charlie. As the guard examined his passport, Heinz observed that the barrier at the checkpoint was 95 centimeters above the ground. Returning to the western sector, he started planning his escape. He searched for a low car that could potentially slip under the barrier and chose a red Austin Healey Sprite, which stood at 90 centimeters.
Hours before the escape, Heinz modified the car to enhance its chances of success. He removed the front windshield, deflated the tires to lower the vehicle further, and positioned Margaret in the small space behind the driver’s seat, while her mother was placed in the luggage area. To protect them from potential gunfire, he surrounded Margaret with bricks.
On May 5, 1963, Heinz drove to Checkpoint Charlie and approached the first barrier from the eastern side. As he presented his passport to the guard, the modifications to the car raised suspicion, and the guard directed him to the customs area for a thorough inspection. Heinz seized the moment, accelerating his vehicle through the barriers and heading west. Despite the guards’ attempts to shoot him, he had already crossed to the western side at an astonishing speed. When he braked, the car left skid marks on the ground due to its rapid deceleration. The American guards on the other side were stunned, and Heinz’s comment was, “Now I can finally get married.”
Notably, this incident was repeated when Argentine Norbert Conrad successfully smuggled his fiancée, Helga Werner, using a similar method. In response, East German authorities tightened security by closing any gaps in the barriers and adding more obstacles to prevent future escapes.
