born on October 13, 1953
shot dead on March 7, 1972
near Falkenhöh, across from the Eiskeller exclave
on the outer ring between Falkensee (Nauen district) and Berlin-Spandau
Schulze, Klaus
Klaus Schulze was born on October 13, 1953 in Falkensee, which borders West Berlin. He had tried unsuccessfully to flee to West Berlin when he was 14 years old, but charges were not made against him since he was still a minor at the time. [35] The difficult circumstances under which he was raised may have been the reason for his escape attempt. Klaus Schulze attended the Geschwister-Scholl Schule, a school in Falkenhöh, from 1960 to 1968, but he fell behind in his school work. He later quit his vocational training as a cattle breeder and eked out a living as an unskilled worker. [36] He had no professional aspirations in the area where he grew up. He spent most of his time with a clique of young people his own age that the Stasi considered "a bunch of loafers" and a "negative group of teenagers." [37] This group was typical of many young people in East Germany at this time who wanted many things, but did not want to live like their parents did. The kids in these groups thought having a steady job was square.
But in East Germany anyone without a "steady job" was bound to get into trouble with the state. After Klaus Schulze and his friend Dieter Krause quit their jobs at the state-owned Hennigsdorf steel mill in the summer of 1971 and had not worked for three weeks, they were reprimanded by the Falkenssee city council and encouraged to find work immediately. This was their last chance to "remain upright citizens and engage in decent work," they were told. [38] On March 5, 1972 Klaus Schulze was again reprimanded for "absenteeism." [39] A year had passed since the East German authorities had threatened to commit him and Dieter Krause to a re-education work camp and hence they were both eager to leave East Germany as soon as possible. [40]
They had a friend whose property in nearby Falkenhöh was situated right on the border. The two young men had taken a look at the border area there once during the day and once at night and then began preparing their flight. They realized that the border strip was probably visible from a watchtower about 300 meters away, but recognized that the overgrown vegetation would provide cover and that a light in the control strip was out. [41]
In the late afternoon of March 7, 1972, Klaus Schulze and Dieter Krause stopped by a number of bars in Falkensee. At about 10 p.m. they headed for Falkenhöh. After crossing a number of properties located near the border they reached the interior wire mesh security fence that bordered on their friend’s plot. He was not present at the time and was not informed about their escape plan. They found a 2.7-meter-long ladder in the shed. They pushed it through the bent fence before entering the border grounds. They were able to get over the signal fence with the ladder, but without realizing it, they had set off an alarm. Klaus Schulze, running behind one end of the ladder in a crouched position, stumbled over a trip wire. Dieter Krause was the first to reach the last fence, a 2.5-meter-high stretch metal fence set on an adjoining steep concrete slope, and placed the ladder on it. The head guard began firing his gun continuously; the other guard joined in the shooting shortly after this. Dieter Krause managed to get over the last fence amid a hail of bullets. [42] Klaus Schulze, who had fallen behind after he tripped, was hit by a bullet in his chest that shattered his major artery and lung. [43]
In the spring of 1991 Klaus Schulze’s siblings requested that the Berlin justice minister investigate the death of their brother. [44] In the fall of 1994 the investigation led to charges being filed against the two guards. The case against the head guard was ultimately dismissed due to his permanent inability to stand trial. The second gunman on trial claimed that he had intentionally shot over the ladder. He was acquitted in early 1997 because the Potsdam district court was unable to prove either an intention to kill or his involvement in joint manslaughter. [45]
Klaus Schulze’s sister was summoned by the authorities to an interrogation the day after her brother died. She was informed only that her brother had died under "dishonorable" circumstances. [46] Three days after the events of March 7, 1972, a state public prosecutor and member of the East German secret police informed Klaus Schulze’s parents that their son had "died in a fatal, self-inflicted accident during an attempted border breach." [47] They were pressured into agreeing to a cremation. Their son’s personal possessions were returned to them against a receipt: "One pair of black men’s loafers." [48] Stasi informants were also assigned to keep an eye on the family. Their mail was read so that "any possible negative reactions" that emerged could be suppressed. [49]
An urn containing the ashes of Klaus Schulze was buried in the cemetery in Falkensee on April 3, 1972. [50] The teenagers in Falkensee were not informed of the funeral’s date: They had wanted to use his funeral to organize a demonstration against the order to shoot fugitives at the border. [51]
Martin Ahrends/Udo Baron/Hans-Hermann Hertle
But in East Germany anyone without a "steady job" was bound to get into trouble with the state. After Klaus Schulze and his friend Dieter Krause quit their jobs at the state-owned Hennigsdorf steel mill in the summer of 1971 and had not worked for three weeks, they were reprimanded by the Falkenssee city council and encouraged to find work immediately. This was their last chance to "remain upright citizens and engage in decent work," they were told. [38] On March 5, 1972 Klaus Schulze was again reprimanded for "absenteeism." [39] A year had passed since the East German authorities had threatened to commit him and Dieter Krause to a re-education work camp and hence they were both eager to leave East Germany as soon as possible. [40]
They had a friend whose property in nearby Falkenhöh was situated right on the border. The two young men had taken a look at the border area there once during the day and once at night and then began preparing their flight. They realized that the border strip was probably visible from a watchtower about 300 meters away, but recognized that the overgrown vegetation would provide cover and that a light in the control strip was out. [41]
In the late afternoon of March 7, 1972, Klaus Schulze and Dieter Krause stopped by a number of bars in Falkensee. At about 10 p.m. they headed for Falkenhöh. After crossing a number of properties located near the border they reached the interior wire mesh security fence that bordered on their friend’s plot. He was not present at the time and was not informed about their escape plan. They found a 2.7-meter-long ladder in the shed. They pushed it through the bent fence before entering the border grounds. They were able to get over the signal fence with the ladder, but without realizing it, they had set off an alarm. Klaus Schulze, running behind one end of the ladder in a crouched position, stumbled over a trip wire. Dieter Krause was the first to reach the last fence, a 2.5-meter-high stretch metal fence set on an adjoining steep concrete slope, and placed the ladder on it. The head guard began firing his gun continuously; the other guard joined in the shooting shortly after this. Dieter Krause managed to get over the last fence amid a hail of bullets. [42] Klaus Schulze, who had fallen behind after he tripped, was hit by a bullet in his chest that shattered his major artery and lung. [43]
In the spring of 1991 Klaus Schulze’s siblings requested that the Berlin justice minister investigate the death of their brother. [44] In the fall of 1994 the investigation led to charges being filed against the two guards. The case against the head guard was ultimately dismissed due to his permanent inability to stand trial. The second gunman on trial claimed that he had intentionally shot over the ladder. He was acquitted in early 1997 because the Potsdam district court was unable to prove either an intention to kill or his involvement in joint manslaughter. [45]
Klaus Schulze’s sister was summoned by the authorities to an interrogation the day after her brother died. She was informed only that her brother had died under "dishonorable" circumstances. [46] Three days after the events of March 7, 1972, a state public prosecutor and member of the East German secret police informed Klaus Schulze’s parents that their son had "died in a fatal, self-inflicted accident during an attempted border breach." [47] They were pressured into agreeing to a cremation. Their son’s personal possessions were returned to them against a receipt: "One pair of black men’s loafers." [48] Stasi informants were also assigned to keep an eye on the family. Their mail was read so that "any possible negative reactions" that emerged could be suppressed. [49]
An urn containing the ashes of Klaus Schulze was buried in the cemetery in Falkensee on April 3, 1972. [50] The teenagers in Falkensee were not informed of the funeral’s date: They had wanted to use his funeral to organize a demonstration against the order to shoot fugitives at the border. [51]
Martin Ahrends/Udo Baron/Hans-Hermann Hertle