- Title: Emotional former East Germans remember 1989 Prague embassy escape
- Date: 28th September 2019
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (SEPTEMBER 28, 2019) (REUTERS) ENTRANCE TO CHARLES BRIDGE STATUE ON CHARLES BRIDGE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON BRIDGE PAN OVER GERMAN EMBASSY GERMAN EMBASSY SIGN VARIOUS OF EYEWITNESS UWE RUNGGAS LOOKING AT TRABBIS PARKED IN EMBASSY GROUNDS SIGN READING: FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM, 30 YEARS (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "When he (Genscher) stood up there and spoke this half sentence, of course cheers broke out. But my first thought was: I am going to see my parents again. That was the main priority for me and why I was there. The joy and cheers was indescribable until the moment where he said that the trains would have to go through the territory of the GDR. And I can still remember today how my blood ran cold. And then it was clear to me that I wouldn't embark, it was too dangerous. But then he (Genscher) beseeched us and begged us to get on, and said he would be our guarantee and said that nothing would happen to us and it would work out and that's why we got on. And this was one of the milestones of the journey I had to take." (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "In mid September sometime, I saw the news and saw that people were jumping over into the embassy and I realised that this was the only way to my parents, so, as a 19- year-old I made my way all alone to the embassy. On the way I experienced some hellish moments. At one of the border controls a GDR customs officer ordered me to get completely naked in the train toilet. I experienced a lot of terrible things and I never believed that I was going to make it but I did manage it and I will never forget climbing over the fence and arriving in the middle of Czechoslovakia, and being in the middle of Communism but being free. I will never forget this, the feeling was indescribable." BOY STANDING AT PLAQUE (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "For me it was clear, I am in! and my next journey is going to be to West Germany and to my parents and I am not leaving whatever happens until then. And then came September 30 and that was one milestone. But my journey wasn't over. I still had to find my parents in West Germany, But in Hof (where train ended) on October 1 I was helped by the station mission and they helped me find my parents and I remember my first call with my father and it was the best moment of my whole life. You can't imagine! Four days later I was with my parents and since then I've been living my life and enjoying it to the full!" TRABBIS IN EMBASSY GROUNDS (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, UWE RUNGGAS (20.11.1060), SAYING: "First I felt nothing and then it started to come when I saw all the refugees that were already here and how they were helping people over the fence and how they got us in, and then the cheers. And then the other feelings all started to come, day by day. I felt safe here." BALCONY WHERE GENSCHER MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THEY REFUGEES WOULD BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, UWE RUNGGAS (20.11.1060), SAYING: "And then came this famous line - which we all know by heart. It was overwhelming...I still can't put it into words, I could still cry over it." RUNGGAS GETTING INTO TRABBI AND WAVING (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, UWE RUNGGAS (20.11.1060), SAYING: "The only thing that I was frustrated by was my car, which was a bit older than myself. I would have liked to go and get it but the state police took the cars away very quickly and sold them. Material things didn't matter so much, the most important thing was to be free and to finally say what I think. I still say what I think today, even if some people don't like it. But i don't care, now I am allowed to say what I think." BALCONY WHERE GENSCHER MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT THEY REFUGEES WOULD BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS JENS HASE AND HIS WIFE MARION, STANDING TOGETHER, SAYING: JENS: "I have managed to get used to Bavarian white sausage but I will never get used to spaetzle. We live in the Swabian area, my wife is from there." MARION: "I keep trying it with the spaetzle but it isn't working, so sadly we have had to switch over to potatoes." (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS UWE RUNGGAS AND HIS WIFE RENATE, STANDING TOGETHER, SAYING: UWE: "There is no East and West with us." RENATE: "and we are managing with the food too!" UWE: "As you can see (pats belly) the eating is not the problem." FORMER REFUGEES STANDING AT EMBASSY FENCE TALKING HASE STANDING AT FENCE (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "People have their own memories but I found a huge solidarity here. There was a staircase inside that we were allowed to sleep on and we had a lot of blankets that had been provided by the army I remember a scene where a diplomat came and asked if he could have some blankets as there were so many refugees arriving outside and it was cold and we were warm. And they were just so impressed that we all gave up our blankets without a thought. There was so much solidarity and no aggression, we all just wanted the same thing." HASE STANDING AT FENCE TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "The rest of the time we just walked around and got to know people. And what I found fascinating was all the different reasons people had for fleeing. And I didn't meet a single person who was leaving because of bananas or nutella. Each person had a GDR experience and often a bad one and it was amazing to hear all these stories." PAN FROM FENCE TO HASE TALKING TO FELLOW EYEWITNESSES HASE GOING UP EMBASSY STAIRS HASE STOPPING TO LOOK AT GERMAN FLAG STITCHER TOGETHER BY REFUGEES AT THE TIME HASE GOING UP TO STAIR WHERE HE SLEPT AND SITTING DOWN (SOUNDBITE) (German) EYEWITNESS TO PEACEFUL STORMING OF PRAGUE EMBASSY IN SUMMER AND AUTUMN OF 1989, JENS HASE (49), SAYING: "At one point we put coins on the steps and our plan was to pretend we were asleep and see who would pick up the coins. And we thought that if someone did stop and pick up the coins that that meant that they were people who wanted to leave again, because otherwise why would you take the money. And I never forget, we were like little kids, pretending to be asleep and then this mother passed with her little girl and the little girl said look mummy, money and the mother said, yuck put it down, and then we all clapped. And something like that happened everyday and now there are all these memories, I see all the people, I see the beds piled up..." PAN OVER STAIRCASE PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS / PAN TO EMBASSY EYEWITNESSES QUEUING TO GET IN
- Embargoed: 12th October 2019 14:55
- Keywords: Genscher Berlin Wall DDR Czechoslovakia German Embassy refugees GDR Iron Curtain Prague
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- City: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AYKMD6H
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Almost 30 years ago to the day, Jens Hase and Uwe Runggas joined thousands of other East German refugees outside the German Embassy in Prague in a last-minute bid for freedom.
The two men had different reasons for fleeing but both scaled the embassy fence and both vowed not to leave unless it was to the West.
Hase's parents were elderly and in frail health and had been given permission to leave the GDR.
Nineteen year-old Jens was not allowed to go with them. Alone with no contact and suddenly aware he had no idea what to do, and unsure if he would ever see his parents again, Jens Hase decided to leave.
On September 30th 1989 they were given the news they had been waiting for by the then West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher, that they could leave and travel to the West.
"When he (Genscher) stood up there and spoke this half sentence, of course cheers broke out. But my first thought was: I am going to see my parents again. That was the main priority for me and why I was there. The joy and cheers was indescribable until the moment where he said that the trains would have to go through the territory of the GDR. And I can still remember today how my blood ran cold..."
Hase did get on that train to start a new life in West Germany.
"I remember my first call with my father and it was the best moment of my whole life. You can't imagine! 4 days later I was with my parents and since then I live my life and enjoy it to the full!"
Hase married, had two children and went on to work as a social worker for young people to pass on his experiences.
Runggas and Hase never met in 1989 but became friends through commemorative events. The two men are now close friends, bound by a common experience.
The then 29-year-old Runggas had wanted to go west for a birthday in 1989. His request was denied but his work was notified, he had shifts cut and was contacted by a member of the former state police, the Stasi.
Runggas made his final decision after an undercover agent visited his flat in Magdeburg, asking for tips on how to get to the West. Runggas told the operative to leave and that night packed a suitcase for himself, his then girlfriend and her 8-year-old son.
Rungaas' girlfriend had a letter of invitation from a friend in the former Czechoslovakia and after telling her son they were going on holiday, so that he wouldn't have to lie they set off.
Once they arrived at the embassy Runggas dumped the car, an old Wartburg, left the key in the lock and climbed over the fence to a new life.
"And then came this famous line - which we all know by heart. It was overwhelming...I still can't put it into words, I could still cry over it," Runggas told Reuters TV.
"The only thing that I was frustrated by was my car, which was a bit older than myself. I would have liked to go and get it but the state police took the cars away very quickly and sold them. Material things didn't matter so much, the most important thing was to be free and to finally say what I think. I still say what I think today, even if some people don't like it. But I don't care, now I am allowed to say what I think!" Runggas added.
Runggas, an electrician had what he calls an easy ride, he found work straight away and was warmly welcomed by the West Germans. He says he tried to stay away from politics and just live his life.
During the summer of 1989, thousands of East German refugees attempted to move to the West by travelling through other Warsaw Pact countries such as Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
By September, crowds of East Germans had gathered at the West German Embassy in Prague, climbing the embassy fence to seek refuge inside.
At first refugees were housed in the attic of the building, which was later extended to make room for the emergency accommodation. But as the numbers grew, tents were built in the embassy garden.
Meanwhile, Hungary had opened its border with Austria, allowing some 30,000 people to travel to the West by the end of September, a move condemned by the East German government.
But Czechoslovakia had no intention of working against East Germany's wishes.
On 30th September, West German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher travelled to Prague where he was taken to West Germany's embassy. There, he addressed the crowds of refugees from an embassy balcony, having managed to agree terms for them to leave.
Looking down over the crowds in the garden, he told them they were being allowed to travel to West Germany.
On the first of October 1989, the first refugees travelled in chartered, so-called 'trains of freedom' from Prague and Warsaw across East German territory into West Germany. Within just a few days thousands of new refugees arrived at the embassy in Prague and were able to leave shortly thereafter.
By the end of the summer of 1989 the movement of refugees into West Germany could no longer be stopped and then it was only a matter of weeks until the Berlin Wall finally fell.
(Production: Inke Kappler, Tanya Wood) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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