We return to Dirk’s story from episode 278 with a move to East Berlin following his mother’s divorce from his father.
Dirk finds school life more relaxed where pupils are allowed to wear Western clothing and to speak more openly, even questioning their teachers about the existence of the Berlin Wall.
After leaving school, Dirk starts work in a factory from which he can see into West Berlin and he longs for a life away from the restrictions of East Germany.
His mother’s new partner is a conscripted border guard who advises him not to attempt an escape over the Wall.
However, as East Germany starts to implode in November 1989 Dirks sees a chance to escape…
We also hear of his and his family’s life in the new Germany where at school reunions the children of Stasi families reveal their secrets and his mother sees the contents of her Stasi file.
Dirk's previous episode https://coldwarconversations.com/episode278/
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Episode notes here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode279
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