Jutta Fleck

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Jutta Fleck
Born1946 (age 77–78)
Dresden
Other namesJutta Gallus
"The Woman from Checkpoint Charlie"
OccupationComputer scientist
Known forAttempted escape to West Germany and public demonstrations for the release of her daughters from East Germany

Jutta Fleck (born 1946) is an attempted escapee and former political prisoner of the

German Democratic Republic (GDR) with her daughters in August 1982, she was imprisoned in Hoheneck Women's Prison and, after being deported to West Germany, spent four years protesting for her daughters' release from East Germany
.

Biography

Jutta Fleck was born in Dresden in 1946. She was known as Jutta Gallus by her first marriage. She worked as a computer scientist. After divorcing her husband, she had sole custody of her daughters, Claudia and Beate Gallus. Following her mother's death, Fleck became dissatisfied with the restrictions of living in East Germany and decided to flee with her two daughters.[1]

Attempted escape and imprisonment

In August 1982, Jutta Fleck attempted to escape from

Karl-Marx-Stadt on 17 February 1984 where she was held in detention.[1] Although Fleck was bought out by Western authorities, the deal did not include her daughters, so Fleck began to write to politicians from West Germany to be reunited with her daughters.[3]

Separation

Fleck spent six years separated from her two daughters. Her children were initially sent to a children's home near Dresden where their movement was restricted. The two girls were separated from each other and identified by a number rather than by their names. After a few months, their uncle was able to visit them.[4] Their father was given custody of his daughters. He was a staunch supporter of the GDR and told them that Fleck was an enemy of the state. Beate Gallus stated that they were not allowed to make contact.[2] The two children secretly exchanged letters with their mother.[3]

Public demonstrations

Fleck began to make public demonstrations with the help of the

John Paul II at St. Peter's Square in April 1985. Fleck demonstrated in front of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe in Helsinki in August 1985 by chaining herself to a railing. She was warned about a potential assassination attempt at a press conference on a ship and consequently did not take part. At the 25th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall, at the Reichstag on 13 August 1986, Fleck took an opportune moment to protest in front of a 1,500 live audience and television audience to call upon politicians to help end her separation from her daughters but received no response from chancellor Helmut Kohl.[1]

Reunion

Claudia and Beate applied for exit visas with the help of German lawyer Wolfgang Vogel. Due to widespread media attention, Fleck's campaign was supported by Erich Honecker. She was reunited with her two daughters in West Berlin on 25 August 1988.[1] She moved to Bavaria, remarried and settled in Wiesbaden with her husband and daughter Beate.[2]

Later life

In 2009, Fleck was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany by President Horst Köhler.[5] Fleck and her daughter Beate Gallus gave lectures at various locations, such as at the Bad Liebenzell Civic Center on 12 October 2019, to recount their experiences of life in the GDR.[6][7]

Related media

In 2006 a two-part television film titled Die Frau Vom Checkpoint Charlie was released, which was based on Jutta Fleck's life. The film was directed by Miguel Alexandre and starred Veronica Ferres.[8][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Kindesentzug, Frauenknast, Mordkomplott – Wie das DDR-Regime diese Frau quälte". Focus. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  2. ^
    ISSN 1865-2263
    . Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Zander, Peter (22 September 2007). "Mutter Courage und die Stasi". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  4. ^ "Wie Jutta Fleck die Kinder genommen wurden". Osthessen|News (in German). 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  5. ^ Herzinger, Richard (16 November 2009). "Verdienstorden: Köhler ehrt demonstrativ Gegner des DDR-Regimes". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b Germany, Schwarzwälder Bote, Oberndorf. "Bad Liebenzell: Vortrag über den Checkpoint Charlie". schwarzwaelder-bote.de (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ GmbH, Echo Zeitungen (11 March 2017). "Jutta Fleck und Beate Gallus erzählen ihre bewegende Geschichte aus der DDR". www.echo-online.de (in German). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Die FRAU VOM CHECKPOINT CHARLIE (2006)". BFI. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
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