At Kieler Eck in Berlin-Mitte, an unassuming concrete colossus rises amid modern new buildings, commemorating the first fatality resulting from the use of firearms at the Berlin Wall. Here, at the historic border with Wedding, on August 24, 1961, East German transport police shot and killed 24-year-old tailor Günter Litfin as he attempted to escape through the Berlin-Spandau Shipping Canal. Today, the former command post of the border troops houses a volunteer-run memorial that brings home the grim reality of Germany’s division.
The last watchtower of its kind on the canal bank
Between the Bundeswehr hospital and the shipping canal stands one of the last surviving “Kieler Eck” command posts. Of the 302 watchtowers that once lined the Berlin border, only a handful survived the demolition after 1989. Günter Litfin’s brother, Jürgen, saved the structure from demolition to create a living memorial for students, Berliners, and visitors.
View through the embrasures
Inside, you’ll climb narrow metal ladders up to the former observation post, from which border guards monitored the entire border section. Original equipment, communications devices, and historical documents provide an unvarnished look at how round-the-clock surveillance worked back then.
Günter Litfin’s Fate and a Personal Promise
The room is entirely dedicated to the personal story of Günter Litfin, who really just wanted to see his fiancée and start his new job in West Berlin. The exhibition thrives on the personal commitment of the initiative, which guides you through the events of those August days without pathos but with a palpable sense of urgency.
Günter Litfin was a young tailor from Berlin who lived in East Berlin and worked in the western part of the city. After the Berlin Wall was built on August 13, 1961, he wanted to return to the West. On August 24, he attempted to flee at Humboldthafen. Border police shot at him. Litfin died in the water and is considered the first fatality at the Berlin Wall.
By public transportation, take the U6 to the Schwartzkopffstraße subway station or take bus 120 to the Bundeswehrkrankenhaus stop, from where it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the canal.
📍 Location: Kieler Straße 2, 10115 Berlin-Mitte
📆 Date and time: April through October: Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (group tours also available on weekdays upon request)
⏳ Duration: approx. 45 to 60 minutes
💵 Cost: Free admission; donations toward its preservation are expressly encouraged
ℹ️ Website: stiftung-berliner-mauer.de / gsg-berlin.de
