Abstract

The East German government downplayed the number of people killed at the Wall, whereas West German newspapers tended to exaggerate it. Different accounts place the number of deaths at the Wall at fewer than 200 and at the inner-German border at around 1,100, with the exact figure depending on who is included. By contrast, there are more accurate figures for the number of people who managed to resettle (legally) or escape (illegally). But these numbers, too, reflect the East Germans’ constant desire to flee.

Statistics on East German Resettlers, Refugees, and Escapees (1961–1990)

Source

Legal Resettlers and Refugees from the GDR (1961–1990)

Year

Total

Legal resettlers

Refugees (via third countries, etc.)

Escapees (through border fortifications)

Ransomed political prisoners

1961

52,324

c. 700

43,117

8,507

--

1962

21,356

4,615

10,980

5,761

--

1963

42,632

29,665

9,275

3,692

--

1964

41,876

30,012

8,709

3,155

884

1965

29,552

17,666

9,557

2,329

1,555

1966

24,131

15,675

6,720

1,736

407

1967

19,573

13,188

5,182

1,203

554

1968

16,036

11,134

3,767

1,135

693

1969

16,975

11,702

4,080

1,193

880

1970

17,519

12,472

4,146

901

888

1971

17,408

11,565

5,011

832

1,375

1972

17,164

11,627

4,292

1,245

731
(Amnesty) 2,087

1973

15,189

8,667

4,680

1,842

631

1974

13,252

7,928

4,355

969

1,053

1975

16,285

10,274

5,338

673

1,158

1976

15,168

10,058

4,500

610

1,439

1977

12,078

8,041

3,316

721

1,475

1978

12,117

8,271

3,385

461

1,452

1979

12,515

9,003

1,768

463

890

1980

12,763

8,775

2,552

424

1,036

1981

15,433

11,093

2,599

298

1,584

1982

13,208

9,113

2,282

283

1,491

1983

11,343

7,729

2,259

228

1,105

1984

40,974

34,982

3,459

192

2,236

1985

24,912

18,752

3,324

160

2,669

1986

26,178

19,982

4,450

210

1,450

1987

18,958

11,459

5,964

288

1,209

1988

39,832

29,033

9,115

590

1,048

1989

343,854

--

--

--

1,775

1990

238,384

--

--

--

--

Source: Hans Hermann Hertle, Konrad H. Jarausch, and Christoph Kleßmann, eds., Mauerbau und Mauerfall. Ursachen—Verlauf—Auswirkungen. Berlin, 2002, pp. 310–14.

Translation: GHI staff