Last week, I wrote about an East German athlete escaping to the West by swimming through part of the Baltic Sea. This week\u2019s article continues that theme.<\/p>\n
As I noted previously: escaping by sea to the West was difficult. Over 5,600 are estimated to have tried. Less than 1,000 succeeded; at least 174 are believed to have died in the attempt. The remainder were caught and imprisoned by East Germany.<\/p>\n
Here is another example \u2013 one that required both guts and stamina. It involved more than a day in the water, swimming continuously.<\/p>\n
. . .<\/b><\/p>\n
Peter D\u00f6bler was an East German doctor \u2013 an assistant physician at a hospital. <\/p>\n
He detested conditions in East Germany. Unfortunately, D\u00f6bler had spoken his mind in front of the wrong people. The fact that he\u2019d criticized the East German government had stalled his career. <\/p>\n
He was also a strong swimmer. So D\u00f6bler resolved to leave East Germany via swimming.<\/p>\n
D\u00f6bler trained for 2 years. He swam extensively. He studied the stars (for navigation at night) and studied sea maps. He obtained a neoprene wetsuit, snorkel, chocolates (food for the escape) \u2013 and some painkillers and appetite suppressants.<\/p>\n
Then, on 24 July 1971, he acted.<\/p>\n
Dobler went to K\u00fchlungsborn on the East German Baltic coast. The conditions were favorable: the water was \u201cwarm\u201d (around 18C, or about 64F), and weather was projected to be relatively calm.<\/p>\n
His plan was to swim to Fehmarn in West Germany \u2013 a distance of 48 kilometers<\/i> (roughly 30 miles<\/i>, or about 6 miles farther than the Dover Strait). D\u00f6bler estimated he\u2019d need to swim about 26 hours to cover that distance.<\/p>\n
He arrived about 4:30 that afternoon. He hid his belongings in some bushes, then took a pack with his escape gear and supplies into the ocean. His plan was to look just like a vacationer enjoying the beach. <\/p>\n
When the beach is later nearly deserted, D\u00f6bler put on his wetsuit while in the water. He then starts swimming slowly out to sea \u2013 slowly, so as not to attract attention. Why? Because the beach is patrolled by armed border police.<\/p>\n
Near midnight, there\u2019s commotion on the beach \u2013 most likely due to discovery of D\u00f6bler\u2019s abandoned property. Searchlights some on, and boats launch.<\/p>\n
D\u00f6bler is prepared. He keeps swimming; he dives underwater and uses a snorkel to give as small an optical signature to the searchers as he can whenever searchlight beams or boats approach.<\/p>\n
Around 6AM the sun rises. D\u00f6bler sees numerous West German ships, but none of them spot him. So he keeps swimming.<\/p>\n
A thunderstorm rolls through, but only lasts about an hour. D\u00f6bler keeps swimming towards West Germany.<\/p>\n
After roughly 24 hours, nearing Fehmarn D\u00f6bler is finally spotted by a West German boat. They take him aboard, and then take him to West Germany.<\/p>\n
Hungry and thirsty? Yes, D\u00f6bler certainly was. And tired.<\/p>\n
But D\u00f6bler was now also a free man.<\/p>\n
Sources<\/u>:<\/p>\n
listverse.com\/2017\/08\/12\/top-10-remarkable-escapes-across-the-berlin-wall<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/imgur.com\/gallery\/Mjl1X<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n