Ida Siekmann ---

Message of the East Berlin People’s Police

on the escape attempt of Ida Siekmann

Ida Siekmann  - from "BZ"
newspaper, August 23, 1961

 (November 20, 2015 - this page is an extension of Ida Siekmann – First Berlin Wall Victim, found at http://idasiekmann.blogspot.com

Bernauer Straße 48, Frau Siekmann's front door,
shortly after her fatal jump

The English version of the story of Ida Siekmann at Chronik-der-Mauer unfortunately lacks the East Berlin People’s Police Message about the escape attempt which is contained in the German version of the story of Ida Siekmann at Chronik-der-Mauer. This (East Berlin People's Police) message, found here, is a satellite page of the German version of the story, not otherwise available in English.

 

People's Police Message (text follows)

Message of the East Berlin People's Police on the escape attempt of Ida Siekmann

August 23, 1961

President of the People’s Police - Report Nr. 234, August 23, 1961 08.23.1961 [Extract]

Window jump

People’s Police Center

On August 22, 1961, at 6:50 AM, Ida Siekmann, born on August 23, 1902 and who lived alone, residing in Berlin N 58 on Bernauer Straße 48, jumped from the 4th story front window of her apartment building to the street below. Previously, several pieces of luggage and a package were thrown out of an apartment of the same building. Frau Siekmann was transported by the West Fire Department. The pool of blood was covered with sand. The district office was made aware of the situation; department K was at the location, and took over further processing of the situation.

Source: Police Historical Collection / The Chief of Police in Berlin

Note: The original extract cites that Frau Siekmann  jumped from the third floor (3te Stock, 3te Obergeschoss); this is by European standards, where the ground floor is not numbered. By North American standards, she jumped from the fourth floor. This is possibly significant because, had she departed from the third floor, her chances of making the journey in steps would have been greater, using either of the adjacent third floor balconies, descending to the balconies below, and finally to the ground.

Wikicommons 1955 photo with annotations showing
 Frau Siekmann's window and front door

 

Early 1960's photo of where Frau Siekmann had previously lived;

her apartment was the third window above the doorway, on the fourth floor

A few more from Frau Siekmann's world; U-Bhf Bernauer Straße, north entrance,

facing south (towards Mitte), and a neighborhood map as it appeared in 1960 

 (back to main blog) - http://idasiekmann.blogspot.com