Night Crossing

In April 1978, Lukas Keller attempts to flee East Germany by bulldozer at the Inner German border. He is shot by automatic machine guns and left for dead by guards. The Keller family is informed during a picnic with friends, and the police take the entire family into custody.

Frustrated with life under the GDR, Peter Strelzyk proposes a daring escape to his friend Günter Wetzel: a hot-air balloon that could carry their families to the West. They decide to attempt the escape with eight people in total. The plan begins in Pößneck, Thuringia as they discuss feasibility and risk.

To avoid drawing suspicion, they purchase 1,255 square yards of taffieta under the guise of camping club use and begin sewing. Günter works on the fabric while Peter experiments with a burner designed for the balloon. The attic becomes a makeshift workshop filled with fabric, tools, and test rigs.

The preparation encounters significant setbacks: fires during inflation, insufficient burner power, and intense neighborly suspicion. Petra, Günter's wife, doubts the feasibility and warns of the risks. The project strains friendships and trust as the clock ticks toward the border deadline.

To minimize the risk of discovery, Peter and Günter stop seeing each other and continue work separately. The personal rift is painful, but both men remain committed to the escape plan. The separation buys time while maintaining hope for a second attempt.

Peter and his eldest son Frank complete the balloon burner and begin practical tests after months of preparation. They work to ensure stability and control, hoping the device will be reliable enough for a real flight. The family continues to juggle work, secrecy, and the dream of crossing the border.

On July 3, 1979, the Strelzyk family launches the balloon with the Strelzyks and Wetzel aboard. They manage to lift off, but a border guard spots them and a cloud dampens the burner, forcing an abortive ascent. The balloon crashes within the border zone, only a few hundred feet from the fences.

Miraculously, the eight passengers escape the border zone and return to their car, driving home. Meanwhile, the border police and the Stasi begin a formal investigation into the balloon's creators to prevent a repeat attempt. The first escape ends in failure, but the resolve to try again remains.

Major Koerner leads the Stasi response to identify the balloon's creators and stop them from escaping again. The discovery of the first balloon prompts a wider crackdown in Pößneck and nearby towns. The pressure mounts as authorities close in on suspects.

Despite the setback, Peter is convinced by his sons to try again. He asks Günter to help build a larger balloon to carry all eight people. The renewed plan intensifies secrecy and effort as the clock ticks toward another launch window.

The families buy smaller quantities of taffita from various stores to avoid drawing attention, and identify a launch area for the second attempt. Supplies are hidden and moved under cover as the deadline approaches. The tension rises as time runs short.

On 15 September 1979, signs pile up when the Stasi finds blood-pressure medicine belonging to Doris, linking her to the first balloon. A neighbor reports suspicious activity, and the families depart minutes before the authorities arrive. The sense of imminent danger pushes them toward a final decision.

The balloon is inflated and the burner lit as the eight people climb into the basket. A fire starts in the cloth but is quickly extinguished by Günter, who keeps the fabric from catching fire. A hole appears, and they hope the balloon will still hold for the journey.

Koerner pursues them in a helicopter as the propane supply runs dry. The balloon descends into a clearing, and the border guard mobilizes to find the craft. The eight escapees emerge unharmed and, when asked, confirm they are in the West.

The families signal their success with a flare and share a moment of relief and joy. They embrace as they realize they are now free in West Germany. The escape marks a turning point for their lives and a notable moment in the broader context of East–West tensions.