One of the things that made Bernauer Strasse stand out in its time was that the street became famous for escape attempts. Stories would spread through the western media that people were escaping to the West from Bernauer Strasse.
One of the most famous daring escape attempts was through an underground tunnel which began in a cellar at 97 Bernaeur Strasse. There is a very moving audio translation from Eva Klein speaking about her escape with her husband and child using Tunnel 57 as it has become to be known due to the amount of people who escaped. In the recording Eva explains how she was initially very frightened as she thought she was actually being tricked by the Stasi to attempt to escape and that they were setting her up. Not really knowing where she was going, but taking comfort that she was with her husband and child among a large group, until she said ´I saw some light as I stepped out and then realized I was in the West and it was a beautiful moment.´
Read about Oh-Berlin´s visit to the Berlin Wall Memorial at Bernauer Strasse.