Rainer Liebeke
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Rainer Liebeke (born September 11, 1951 in Gotha ; † September 3, 1986 in Potsdam ) was a victim of the Berlin Wall . He drowned trying to escape.
Life
After school, Rainer Liebeke learned the trade of a car mechanic. He had a son with his wife and lived in Gotha. He worked as a taxi driver for VEB Kraftverkehr in Erfurt. He was also a member of the Gotha Motor Club and took part in motorcycle races in the 50 cm³ class. In 1985 he became a licensed driver with the General German Motorsport Association (ADMV). Liebeke gained contacts with the West through his club mate Dirk. In 1986 he spent a vacation with the motor sportsmen from the west in Hungary. Upon his return, he learned that the ADMV was about to hire his class. Shortly afterwards, he fell while running and broke his collarbone. Dirk helped Liebeke convert his motorcycle to a higher displacement class.
He spent the two days before his death with Dirk on his machine. On September 2, 1986, they left their place of residence under the pretext of visiting a mechanic in Karl-Marx-Stadt . They took the train to Potsdam and went to Lake Sacrow . Dirk knew his way around the lake and the border from his military service. During the night they walked through swamps and reed areas to the lake, which was searched irregularly by searchlights, in order to swim to the other bank, on which the border with West Berlin ran. Dirk swam away from the front. Rainer Liebeke was hampered by his shoulder injury and was unable to cross the lake. Dirk initially waited for his companion, but then climbed the border alone and fled to West Berlin. Rainer Liebeke's body was found by students in the lake a week later and identified on the basis of documents they had carried with them.
On September 5, the widow Rainer Liebekes learned by telephone from the West that her husband had attempted to escape but had not arrived in West Berlin. In later interrogations by the Ministry for State Security, she denied that he was aware of his escape plans. With reference to the connection between death and a “criminal act”, she was denied payment of the death benefit and life insurance.
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Liebeke, Rainer |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German casualty from the Berlin Wall |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 11, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Gotha |
| DATE OF DEATH | 3rd September 1986 |
| Place of death | Potsdam |