Jack's dramatic Cold War escape across the fortified Inner German border (320)

Jack Wesolek was born in East Germany in 1966. His grandfather was a member of the Red Orchestra, a Communist Anti-Nazi resistance organisation in Germany during World War 2. He later became Chief of the Signals Service of the Volksmarine, the East German Navy. In the 1980s an East German Army signals regiment was named after him.

Jack’s father was an actor and we discuss how accurate the depiction of East German actors is in the film “The Lives of Others”.

At age 6 his parents divorce and Jack stays with his father and grandmother in Rostock where he learns more about his grandfather’s story, however, he is separated from his brother who goes to live with his mother.

Jack has an Uncle who was captured escaping from East Germany and was bought out by West Germany in the 1970s. At a clandestine meeting in Hungary they hatch a daring plan for Jack to escape across the Inner German Border, the fortified frontier between East and West Germany.  

Photos, videos and extra episode information here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode320/

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0:00 Introduction and background of Jack Wesolek

3:19 Recollections of his father's actor friends

5:20 Jack's views on artistic freedom and family's political climate in East Germany

18:12 Life with grandmother and school experiences

32:20 Military training as part of school curriculum

37:48 Relatives in West Germany and uncle's imprisonment for attempted escape

41:12 Planning and preparation for escape to West Germany

1:00:43 The escape and crossing the border

1:04:33 First moments of freedom and reflections on life in East Germany

1:07:10 Registering as a refugee and first contact with family in East Germany post-escape

1:14:04 Stasi's interrogation and impact of Jack's escape on his family

1:20:36 Episode extras and closing remarks

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