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Karl Heinz Richter

Karl-Heinz Richter

Literature

  • Richter, Karl-Heinz: Mit dem "Moskau-Paris-Express" in die Freiheit (2003)
  • Richter, Karl-Heinz: Mit dem "Moskau-Paris-Express" nach Afrika: Gelebte Geschichte (2011)
  • Richter, Karl-Heinz: Anagramm (2015)

Karl-Heinz Richter was born in Schwarzheide in the Oberspreewald region in 1946. From the time he was a student in grade school, he was unwilling to accept the practices of the communist dictatorship, culminating in his 1964 planned escape from East Berlin by jumping on a night train along with seven other youths. He was unable to catch the train and was badly injured.

A few days later, Richter was arrested by members of the Ministry of State Security (MfS) and taken to the remand prison in Berlin-Pankow. He was sentenced to eight months in prison on the grounds of an "illegal attempt to cross the border" but was released after six months in July 1964 because of his poor physical condition. Following his prison sentence, Richter worked various jobs, and in 1975, he and his family were able to leave the GDR. Having lived abroad for a significant amount of time, he returned to Berlin in 2004 and since 2008 has been a tour guide at the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial.