Dear Diary, August 24, 1963
This morning I was down by the Spree River and I saw these three people getting into inner tubes. At first I did not know what they were doing but then I realized they were trying to get to the other side of the wall. I looked on the other side and saw an armed guard! I had no idea what to do when I first saw them. I wanted to help them, I did not want to be trapped by the wall either but they were going to die once that guard saw them. I ran over to warn them to stop; I started shouting, ‘STOP STOP!’ I screamed as loud as I could but they could not hear me. I ran as fast as I could but I couldn’t get to them in time. They started going down the river and I looked on the other side to see if they made it. The armed guard was standing there looking out for people trying to escape. I tried to think of something to do that would distract him but I didn’t want to get shot. I got so scared and I did not want to see those people get hurt, I just started to run away. I did not look back but I could hear shots and shouting. I like to think they got away and the guard did not catch them but I know it is not very likely. There are a lot of people that try to get across the wall, I even heard a story about a man who dug a big tunnel and got a whole lot of people to the other side. Most of that stuff is made up and I feel bad for the families who get hurt trying to escape. I just wish they would take that wall down. I hate being trapped here like an animal. I know some day someone will fix all this and they will take the wall down and we will no longer be forced to stay here in this awful place.
Love,
Mary Condon
Dear Grandma, August 13, 1961
Hi Grandma. We were supposed to come visit you today bu