Themen
- Kunst/Kultur/Literatur
- Flucht/Fluchthilfe
- Alltagserfahrungen
Sprache
- Englisch
Biographical information
1961 Born in Dresden
1967–1977 Enrolled at the 66th Polytechnic Secondary School in Dresden
1977–1980 Trained as an electrical machine engineer combined with Abitur (equivalent to High school diploma or A-levels) at the nationally owned enterprise (VEB) Elbtalwerk Heidenau
1981–1984 Full-time studies at Zwickau School of Engineering
1985–1989 Completed correspondence course at Dresden University of Technology (TU) and worked as a component designer in Radebeul and Dresden
1987–1989 Secret construction of a hot-air balloon with the intention of using it to escape to West Germany
1989 Awarded degree in mechanical engineering
Late 1989 Relocated to Baden Wurttemberg
Until 1995 Worked as a design engineer in Wertheim am Main
Since 1995 Freelance photographer and travel journalist, as well as, since 2003, certified tourist guide
2001 Returned to Saxony
Profile
During my studies in Zwickau and Dresden I was already a successful student film producer. The Film and Television Academy of the GDR in Babelsberg/Potsdam rejected me in 1985 and again in 1987 as politically unacceptable. According to the explanation they gave, my films did not convey socialist characters or ideals. Being banned from studying to become a director or camera technician increased my frustration with the state.
From 1987 to 1989, my wife Petra and I secretly worked on constructing a hot-air balloon in our small apartment in Dresden, which we hoped would serve as our means of escaping the country. After some 2,200 hours of work and having used around 480 bed sheets and 250 cans of latex (for sealing and waterproofing), we eventually created a balloon that was 19 metres in diameter. Our attempt to launch the balloon in Thuringia in October 1989 failed due to poor weather conditions.
Since the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall in 2009, I have toured all over Germany, speaking about the attempted escape in our homemade hot-air balloon. My talk, which includes a professional slide show based on my own photo material and allows enough time for discussions and questions, is also suitable as a school or classroom event.