The Misunderstanding

Before the opening of the new museum in Naila, I had a brief conversation with Frank Strelzyk after a long time. It then became clear to me why he told a different story about the events leading up to the balloon escape than I did.
Because we were both invited to the museum's opening, as our balloon was on display there, I wanted to try to re-establish a reasonable relationship.

The idea and construction of the balloons were solely my own, Günter Wetzel's.

Irmgard Seelmann, a relative from West Germany of Petra, my wife at the time, brought me a magazine from the West in early March 1978. It contained a report about the annual balloonists' meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This gave me the idea of escaping in a hot air balloon. I suggested this idea to Peter Strelzyk, and he also thought it could work. Now we just had to convince our wives, who then agreed.

The whole thing was a joint project that we could only accomplish together, I always emphasize that. I had some ideas, designed and built all three balloons. Copies of my handwritten calculations are in my Stasi file. Peter took care of raising the money and was skilled at oxyacetylene welding, which was essential for manufacturing the necessary metal parts. Of course, we also did other tasks together.

However, we decided to do everything at home first, we didn't want the Strelzyks' sons, aged 10 and 14, to witness everything. It was easier at our house since Andreas, at one year old, and Peter, at four, didn't understand anything yet.

So, we built the first two balloons and conducted the initial tests.

Unfortunately, on August 22, 1978, a personal disagreement arose between Peter Strelzyk and me. He informed me that he had told his sister, brother-in-law, and brother about our project. This seemed very dangerous for both sides. Furthermore, I came to the conclusion that this second balloon was too small for all of us; I had based my calculations on incorrect assumptions.

We decided to part ways amicably. Peter felt the balloon was large enough for four people and decided to continue on his own. We moved everything to the Strelzyks' house, believing we were in the clear if they caught them. That was very naive, though. It was common knowledge that we had been working together for a long time, and besides, my motorcycle was sitting in my garage without its engine, since we had installed it in the blower. From that point on, Peter involved his son Frank, as I was no longer available, and, as agreed, didn't tell his sons that we had also been involved in the balloon project.

From then on, I went back to working as a truck driver and, on the side, planned to build myself a light aircraft, something like an ultralight.

After Strelzyk's escape attempt failed, Peter came back to me to ask if I would join him again. It was clear he couldn't build a new balloon on his own.

I've since realized that using an airplane would have been more complicated than I'd anticipated.

The balloon had worked; it just needed to be big enough.

One thing was clear to both of us: if we were going to succeed, we had to do it together. That's why I recalculated the balloon's dimensions and became convinced that it would be possible to build one large enough for eight people. The knowledge and experience I gained from the two previous balloons helped me design and build one that would be big enough for all eight of us.

It's a shame that Peter apparently didn't explain the real story to his sons afterward, so we're telling two different stories instead of complementing each other. So I've decided to continue the balloon project.

I still don't understand what Frank Strelzyk believes the balloon and the blower motor for the first escape attempt came from, and why his father came to me after the failed escape attempt to ask if I would participate again.

I withdrew from public life at the end of 1979 and, starting in January 1980, did what I had done to go to the West in the first place. I built a new life for myself in freedom, without the paternalism of the system. I followed this path until 2009, without ever considering the balloon escape.

It wasn't until 2009, after about 30 years, that I looked back and realized that much of it had been misrepresented in the media.

That's why I created my website, www.ballonflucht.de, where I describe my role in this escape.

Peter Strelzyk never reacted to my account; I'm sure if I had written something untrue, he would have pointed it out.

Günter Wetzel