(Text by Peter Ninas)

Wernhard Mispelhorn, who died on August 20, 1964, from gunshot wounds, stands as a tragic symbol of the inhumanity of the GDR border regime. He was one of at least 140 victims who lost their lives at the Berlin Wall between 1961 and 1989. His death in August 1964 illustrates the brutality with which escape attempts at the Berlin Wall were suppressed, and serves as a warning to us to this day.

The Incident of August 18, 1964

Wernhard Mispelhorn, an 18-year-old trained locksmith, set out with two friends on the night of August 18, 1964, to explore the sector border between Berlin-Pankow (East) and Berlin-Reinickendorf (West) in the darkness. Their destination was the “Schönholz” allotment garden colony, which lay directly on the sector border.

The group was spotted by border guards when Wernhard Mispelhorn suddenly ran off toward the west. While his companions were able to escape under the cover of darkness and the terrain, Mispelhorn came under fire. The border guards opened fire when he was already in the area of the final border barriers. Hit hard by several bullets, he collapsed. The seriously wounded man was taken away by the GDR security forces and brought under strict guard to the People’s Police hospital.

A short life, an early death

For two days, the doctors fought to save his life, but his internal injuries were too severe. On August 20, 1964, Wernhard Mispelhorn died at the age of just 18. His death was largely hushed up by the GDR authorities; as was so often the case, official reports attempted to criminalize the victims or sweep the incident under the rug.

Remembrance and Legacy

Today, a memorial cross on Klemkestraße in Reinickendorf commemorates his fate and that of other victims of the Wall. It is part of the ensemble of Berlin Wall Victims’ Memorials.

At this year’s Berlin Wall Run, we want to remember Wernhard Mispelhorn there.  Team leader Peter Ninas is still looking for a few volunteers to help him manage this memorial site on Saturday morning and give runners the opportunity to leave their personal thoughts there. Please sign up using the registration form (under “Victims’ Memorial” on Saturday) or email volunteers@100meilen.de

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)