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HistoryGermany

The defector and the border guard

August 14, 2021

Jürgen Cyrulik wanted out of the GDR, but didn't know how. Fleeing through Bulgaria seemed like a possibility, so in 1988 he dared the escape--but was captured. 30 years later he meets the border guard who caught him.

https://p.dw.com/p/3SI6O
The old border fence, Bulgaria
Image: DW/Rayna Breuer

On one side is a young man from the GDR who attempted to cross the iron curtain via the Bulgarian-Turkish border. One the other side is a duty-bound Bulgarian border soldier in his mid 30s, who wants to protect his country's border at all costs. In 1988 the two men met. The soldier caught the GDR citizen during his attempted escape and transferred him to the state security of the GDR.

 

The defector and the border guard, Bulgaria
Image: DW/Rayna Breuer

More than 30 years later, they meet again on the same spot where they had their first encounter. In an Arts 21 exclusive, the reunion was captured on camera. What were their motives? How have their lives been since? How did their experiences with the border impact their lives? A chapter of German-Bulgarian history that is not well-known, and that is still taboo in Bulgaria.

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DW Arts Unveiled (Serienlogo Composite)

Arts Unveiled — Experiencing and understanding the art world

Arts Unveiled dives deep into the international creative scene, uncovering new ideas and explaining cultural phenomena that shape our history, present and future. Who are the artists? What are their greatest works of art? And how are they having an impact? Where can we find their exciting projects?