This story of two east german families who launch an escape to the free world by using a hotair balloon is based on an actual incident. Nov, 2014 another famous airborne escape occurred in 1979. Wetzel and frank strelzyk hold open the neck of the balloon while the boys father aims a homemade flame thrower, connected to another propane tank, into the balloon to heat the air. True tale about two men planing to escape from communist east germany in a hot air balloon, but only if they can take their families with them. Mar 12, 2020 balloon, a basedonfact drama about two families attempting to escape communist east germany in a homemade hot air balloon, is built on classic movie thrills.
Its fantastic but true that in 1979 they used one to escape. The strelzyks had actually attempted a hot air balloon escape 10 weeks previously, but their balloon crashed on east german territory, just a few hundred meters away from the border. A thrilling tale of escape, the stasi, and the division of germany, balloon finds two families trying to enact a daring plan to fly a hot air balloon out of the gdr. I had wanted to go on a balloon ride for over thirty years and this was everything i expected. Balloon, a wellmade, factbased thriller about two east german families who try to flee in a hotair balloon in the late 70s, brings back all the drama of the cold war. With john hurt, jane alexander, doug mckeon, keith mckeon.
The strelzyks had actually attempted a hot air balloon escape 10 weeks. The east german balloon escape took place at approximately 2. Tired of the cold war rules that restricted their lives, two families built their own balloon as an escape vehicle to the west. The performances are very good especially john hurt who gives a very moving performance. Top 10 remarkable escapes across the berlin wall listverse. A brazen escape over the berlin wall by hot air balloon more. Based on a true story of a hot air balloon escape from east germany so celebrated back in the day that disney starred john hurt and beau bridges in an 1982 englishlanguage version called night. Visitors to the checkpoint charlie museum can learn about some of the more ingenious methods that east berliners used.
They could not simply walk into a store asking for the best material to make a hot air balloon. Two ordinary families yearning for freedom secretly form a great escape plan to get across to the west. The plot to accomplish this was carried out over a period of one and a half years, including an unsuccessful attempt, three different balloons. The east side of berlin can be seen over the top of the wall.
Maybe, strelzyk and wetzel thought, this could be a viable way of getting over the heavily fortified border. Two families attempt a daredevil plan to escape the gdr with a homemade hot air balloon, but it crashes just before the border. Whats the name of that movie about escaping from east germany. This account of the real life defection of two east german families via hot air balloon follows the strelzyks and wetzels as they attempt to evade detection from suspicious neighbours and the secret police the stasi and achieve their dream at all costs.
Aug 25, 2008 this story of two east german families who launch an escape to the free world by using a hot air balloon is based on an actual incident. The performances are very good especially john hurt who gives a. How two families escaped east germany on a hot air balloon. Balloon 2019 uk trailer hd about fleeing from east to west. My daughter wanted to know more about the life in east vs west berlin, so the whole family watched this movie about building a hot air balloon to escape to the.
The german film balloon explores the iron curtain from an unusual angle. Two young couples escape from east germany aboard a hotair balloon. While the soviet union and united states continued their rivalry, many normal people tried to escape east germany, but were hindered by the berlin wall. Then let sweet escape ballooning be your ticket to that dream come true. The stasi finds traces of the attempted escape and. Hans peter stelczyk, an aircraft mechanic, got the idea from an east german tv show on the history of ballooning and made a hot air balloon with his friend gunter wetzel, a bricklayer. Film of daring balloon escape from east revives german identity. With each passing day the stasi is closer on their heels a nervewracking race against time begins.
After spending over a year on the project the first escape attempt failed when the balloon landed short of the border with only the xxx family on board. Balloon is a german thriller that deals with the crossing of the inner german border of the families strelzyk and wetzel from the gdr to west germany with a homemade hot air balloon. Balloon tells the true story of two families who escaped east. The movie was made in the late 1970s before the fall of the berlin wall and tells the true story of two families who plan a dangerous and elaborate escape from communist east germany using a. Doris and peter strelzyk and petra and gunter wetzel and their four children made a hotair balloon and used it to land safely in the west. Mar 15, 2017 the man whose escape from east germany in a homemade hot air balloon was turned into a film starring john hurt has died aged 74. East vs west berlin, so the whole family watched this movie about building a hot air. Two ordinary families living a routine existence in poessneck, a small east german town in 1979, yearn to escape by. Feb 11, 2012 in the fall of 1979, one of historys most ingenious and courageous flights to freedom took place when two families fled from communist east germany to the west in their own handcrafted hot air. But an initial failure threatens their entire plan, setting off a dangerous race against time.
It was with utmost secrecy that the tests of the prototype balloons were carried out, and a few times the men suspected they had been caught. Peter strelzyk who fled east germany in a hot air balloon. Hot air balloon he talked about it with his work buddy and together they got the idea to make an hot air balloon themselves to escape from east germany to west germany. The license plates on the cars in the movie used the correct east german. Directed by michael bully herbig and based on a true story, a homemade hot air balloon was the escape route of. A brazen escape over the berlin wall by hot air balloon. In the fall of 1979, one of historys most ingenious and courageous flights to freedom took place when two families fled from communist east germany.
Eight east berliners aboard a tourist boat got the captain and machinist drunk and made a dash for safe haven in the west 2. Many east germans attempted to flee to freedom across the berlin wall. Peter strelzyk friedrich mucke and gunter wetzel david kross plan a daring hot air balloon escape in german film balloon. The strelzyk and wetzel families have been working on an audacious plan for more than two years. The plot to accomplish this was carried out over a period of one and a half years, including an. Balloon is a german thriller that deals with the crossing of the inner german border of the families strelzyk and wetzel from the gdr to west germany with. Gunter wetzels sisterinlaw visited her east german relatives and happened to bring a newspaper that contained an article about a hotair balloon show in new mexico. The stasi finds traces of this attempt to escape and immediately starts investigations, while the two families are forced to build a new escape balloon. The movie was made in the late 1970s before the fall of the berlin wall and tells the true story of two families who plan a dangerous and elaborate escape from communist east germany using a homemade hot air balloon.
Hans strelczyk and gunter wetzel constructed a homemade hotair balloon and sailed over the wall with their wives and children. But imagine what its like to travel in your own made balloon to escape to westgermany. The checkpoint charlie museum examines the ingenious excape methods used. Visitors to the checkpoint charlie museum can learn about some of the more ingenious methods that east berliners used to escape to the west. In the fall of 1979, one of historys most ingenious and courageous flights to freedom took place when two families fled from communist east germany to the west in. Oct 01, 1979 a dream of freedom was not just hot air. Many east german citizens attempted to flee to freedom across the berlin wall. The film is based on the true story of the strelzyk and wetzel families, who on september 16, 1979, attempted to escape from east germany to west germany in a homemade hot air balloon, during the days of the inner german borderera, when emigration to west germany was strictly prohibited by. Escape from east berlin tunnel 28 photos view all photos 1 movie info.
In the decades before the fall of the berlin wall in 1989, many people died trying to escape from communist east germany. Apr 19, 2019 balloon movie trailer hd based on a true storythe most spectacular escape from east germanythuringen, summer 1979. In this drama, based on a true story, a courageous east berliner digs a tunnel beneath the berlin wall and leads 27. Balloon is a german thriller that deals with the crossing of the inner german border of the families strelzyk and wetzel from the gdr to west germany with a homemade hotair balloon. Sep 01, 2016 a brazen escape over the berlin wall by hot air balloon more detailed story traveling by hot air balloon always seems adventurous and peaceful at the same time. Escape from east berlin tunnel 28 1962 rotten tomatoes. Hans strelczyk and gunter wetzel constructed a homemade hotair balloon and sailed over the wall with their wives and children eight people in all.
The suspenseful drama balloon is the true story about how two families made a daring bid to escape tyranny and oppression, risking the lives of the adults and their children. So, they werent total lay people when it came to planning and building the. Balloon tells the true story of two families who escaped. Strelzyk had also worked as a mechanic for the german air force previously. Eight east berliners aboard a tourist boat got the captain and machinist drunk and made a dash for safe haven in the west. Follow the movie on facebook plot summary two men john hurt, beau bridges and their families escape from east to west germany in a colorful homemade hot air balloon. Balloon is a german thriller that deals with the crossing of the inner. A cloth sack, put some hot air in it, and up we go, said gunter wetzel, now 63. Apr 30, 2019 balloon is a german thriller that deals with the crossing of the inner german border of the families strelzyk and wetzel from the gdr to west germany with a homemade hot air balloon. A solider stands on one side of the berlin wall as it is under.
Engrossing german film balloon takes flight boston herald. Whats the name of that movie about escaping from east. As searchlights swept menacingly over the heavily guarded border between east and west germany, a raggedy patchwork balloon, traveling at a leisurely 10 to 15 knots, floated across the wall of fortifications, minefields, selffiring explosives and guard towers. Germany by the inner german border and the berlin wall, which were heavily. In the fall of 1979, one of historys most ingenious and courageous flights to freedom took place when two families fled from communist east germany to the west in their own handcrafted hot air balloon. More information frequently asked questions to book a flight call 800 494 0875 5059771699. Two families made a fearless attempt to escape via hot air balloon. Two families, with eight members in total, escaped the communist country of east germany by crossing the border to west germany in a homemade hot air balloon. Film of daring balloon escape from east revives german identity debate. Nov 03, 2019 balloon m 3 stars this is the story of two young families, the strelzyks and the wetzels, and a brightly coloured hot air balloon. A tiny bubble car, adapted to hide a human being, made nine trips across the border with escapers. But the balloon crashlands just before the west german border. Balloon m 3 stars this is the story of two young families, the strelzyks and the wetzels, and a brightly coloured hotair balloon. Balloon, a basedonfact drama about two families attempting to escape communist east germany in a homemade hotair balloon, is built on classic movie thrills.