Gabi was 14 years old when her parents told her two days before Christmas Eve 1960 that they were planning to escape from East Germany to the West on December 24th. Gabi knew that she had to keep these plans, like many other things, to herself. She did so, even though she went to the movies with her crush the day before the escape. Gabi's feelings about the planned escape were mixed. She felt great sadness about leaving all her friends behind and turning her back on her hometown of Altenburg in Thuringia. On the other hand, Gabi knew from many visits to her grandparents in Bremen that a "land of milk and honey" with many opportunities awaited her on the other side of the border. She could understand her parents. Her father had planned the escape down to the smallest detail. The family took advantage of the relaxed travel restrictions to East Berlin at Christmas time and, in deciding to escape, responded to a tip from an acquaintance that her father was under special surveillance by the Stasi because of his critical statements about the government. Both her parents and Gabi were extremely nervous. Shortly before their departure, the apartment seemed unchanged, except for Gabi's mother, who ran excitedly from room to room on the day of the escape. Gabi's father ultimately locked the doors inside the apartment to ensure peace and quiet. Later, Gabi learned that her father had forgotten to turn off the lights in the living room. A mistake that could have had fatal consequences. What reason could there be for a family to leave the lights on all night at Christmas? On December 24, 1960, Gabi wore her most treasured piece of clothing: a black silk velvet dress, her confirmation dress. Her mother had purchased the fabric at great expense during the Leipzig Trade Fair. It was very special and, as a garment for Christmas Eve, inconspicuous. Gabi had to hide everything she needed for the multi-day escape under this dress: several layers of underwear and other clothing. The family's only piece of luggage on the run was a briefcase. The contents of the briefcase posed an enormous risk: Gabi's budgie, which could pronounce the entire family's name. Gabi wasn't prepared to flee without the bird. In case the bird were discovered, the family naturally had an explanation ready. But would anyone believe it? The family's journey took them by train, with stops in Leipzig and Magdeburg, to Potsdam. In Potsdam, Gabi and her parents boarded the S-Bahn to Berlin Alexanderplatz. The family barely spoke during the journey; the atmosphere was thick. Gabi's parents had memorized an address in East Berlin for her to give in case of questioning by the People's Police. Gabi didn't notice any other passengers in the compartment. She sat opposite her parents, facing the opposite direction of travel, facing east. Her parents could already see the border fence when the train stopped. Gabi looked up and saw her mother's eyes wide with fear. There was silence. Gabi will never forget that look from her mother. Had the empty apartment in Altenburg been discovered, and now a search was underway for the family? Was that why the train had stopped? The mother's eyes reflected the potential consequences of this escape: Her parents could go to prison, and Gabi could be sent to a children's home... Then the train moved on, having stopped for no apparent reason. The family crossed the border. At the refugee shelter in Marienfelde, the first thing Gabi did was let her budgie fly in the room with two bunk beds. He was free again, as was the family. After the enormous tension, however, there was no time to relax. There was much to do. Paperwork had to be completed, the rest of the journey had to be organized. After a few days, the plane flew on to Hamburg. The mother was still afraid, afraid of a possible emergency landing in the east. In Hamburg, the family took the bus to the refugee shelter in Uelzen, where they were housed in a large dormitory. That night, Gabi's tension subsided; for the first time on the run, she cried terribly. She didn't want to stay in the refugee shelter. Her father noticed this and organized a car trip for her the next day, her 15th birthday, to Bremen, where her aunts lived. Wearing her black silk velvet dress, she got into the car of a man from Bremen who was picking up his refugee mother and brought Gabi safely to her aunts. Gabi's parents arrived later. On New Year's Eve 1961, the family celebrated together in freedom, relieved.
