Wolfgang Engels
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Engels is a former East German soldier. In April 1963, on the eve of May Day
celebrations, he rammed a stolen armoured personnel carrier (APC) into the Berlin Wall
in an attempt to escape into West Berlin
. The APC did not fully penetrate the wall, so Engels exited the vehicle and was shot twice while struggling to free himself from barbed wire. He was pulled to safety by West Berliners and taken to a nearby bar. He would later recover from his wounds in a West German hospital.
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
celebrations, he rammed a stolen armoured personnel carrier (APC) into the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
in an attempt to escape into West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
. The APC did not fully penetrate the wall, so Engels exited the vehicle and was shot twice while struggling to free himself from barbed wire. He was pulled to safety by West Berliners and taken to a nearby bar. He would later recover from his wounds in a West German hospital.