The mystery of 20 years old photograph is over

CzechNews
1. 10. 2009 17:09
The policeman who tried to take down an East German climbing over a fence of West German embassy has been identified by Aktuálně.cz
Foto: Archiv

Prague - It is one of the most notorious photographs that went around Germany as well as Europe, symbolizing the fall of the Berlin Wall and communism in the Old Continent.

It captures a citizen of former East Germany climbing over a fence of West Germany's embassy in Prague. It happened on October 2, 1989. A Czechoslovak policeman is trying to take the man down but in vain.

The name of the man who succeeded in his escape is Michael Fleischmann and he was among the thousands of Germans that decided to flee the totalitarian regime by climbing over the West Germany´s embassy fence in Prague.

In June, this year Mr. Fleischmann published an announcement stating he would like to meet the policeman.

Now, symbolically, on the day that Germany is commemorating the 20 years of freedom by organizing the Freedom Train, the mystery of the famous photograph is over.

The Institute for Study of Totalitarian Regimes had identified the man as "the embassy policeman" and helped Aktuálně.cz to track down the man.

He is 47 years old and still works in the police force. "I do recall we used to serve by the embassy but is that really me? was his first response.

Aktuálně.cz will bring more details of the story in the coming days.

 

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