The Escape Tunnels Under the Berlin Wall
With the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961, the people of East Berlin were suddenly and unexpectedly cut off overnight from their families, partners, friends, jobs, and places of study or school in West Berlin.
Image gallery
Berliner Mauer
As a result, many people attempted to escape through tunnels they dug themselves to get under the deadly barriers and reach freedom.
In the immediate vicinity of Bernauer Straße—a key site for tunnel construction—the history of Berlin’s escape tunnels is recounted, and visitors are offered a glimpse into the only original escape tunnel from 1970–71—nine meters below the surface. This tunnel is accessible via a roughly 30-meter-long tunnel built by Berliner Unterwelten e.V.
Following the guided tour, eyewitness Burkhart Veigel—one of the most successful escape facilitators at the Berlin Wall—will tell visitors about some of his escape operations, specifically the tunnels on Heidelberger Straße, a second hub of tunnel excavations, the sewer system on Alte Jakobstraße (Berlin-Kreuzberg), and about his ruses involving passports and modified cars.
IN GERMAN
#mauerbau65
Additional information
Dates
August 2026
| Mo | Tu | We | Th | Fr | Sa | Su |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1
|
2
| |||||
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
25
|
26
|
27
|
28
|
29
|
30
|
31
|
