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Torsten Rupnow

Torsten Rupnow

Torsten Rupnow was born in 1966 in Berlin and was trained as a chef. After multiple denied departure requests, he made it appear as though he planned on escaping to the West by swimming across the Baltic Sea.

In June 1985, Rupnow was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison on charges of "illegal emigration." Under the purchase of freed prisoners, Rupnow arrived in West Germany in February 1986.